How To Win Hearts and Minds

One way to win friends and influence people is to write a book.

Or at least have one ghost-written for you.  

Just make certain it is a book that will attract moderates, independents, right-leaning voters, hunters, and dog lovers.

Kristi Noem, South Dakota governor, and supplicant for the position of Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate has a book:  No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.  

Officially released today, the book has captured the hearts and minds of moderates, independents, right-leaning voters, hunters, and dog lovers; although perhaps not as intended.  This is because in her book Governor Noem describes in grisly detail how she killed a self-described 'untrainable' puppy following a pheasant hunting trip.

According to the governor, a fourteen-month-old, female wirehaired pointer named Cricket 'went out of her mind with excitement, chasing all of those birds and having the time of her life.'  And 'later attacked another family's chickens' during a pheasant hunting trip.  And when the governor made a grab for the dog she got nipped.  According to Noem this was evidence that Cricket was 'less than worthless as a hunting dog.' 

So she shot and killed it.

It has occurred to me that my best friend and all-around champion hunting Lab, Inky, did all of those things too.  At about the same age.  She went out of her mind with excitement, chasing birds and having the time of her life, made a move on someones' barnyard chickens and nipped me.  That's what puppies do until they learn the ropes.  The difference between me and the South Dakota governor is I didn't immediately declare my dog 'worthless'; followed by an execution.  I corrected her, reinforced appropriate behavior, loved her and she matured into a marvelous hunting partner and family member.  I miss her more than you know.

Raising a hunting dog is hard work and can be incredibly frustrating some days.  It might be that the governor doesn't have the patience for this.  Maybe she doesn't have the time; she is a governor after all.  Or perhaps she simply doesn't know how to train a hunting dog.  All of which is anybody's guess.

Or maybe there is an altogether different explanation.  

Noem has said she included this story in her book to demonstrate her readiness in politics and to do what needs to be done, even if it is 'difficult, messy and ugly.'  Might it be that in the MAGA movement your star status rises if you demonstrate you are stone cold enough to shoot and kill your dog for being a puppy?  

I sure hope not.  Just about anyone I know, including some of my Trump supporting friends who hunt with dogs, tell me this is over the top.

I have hunted and killed countless animals in my life.  Same for fishing.  I have raised two hunting dogs and am presently training a third.  The art of raising a hunting dog is difficult, hard work that requires near daily coaching. It demands discipline, patience and love.  High-energy sporting breeds generally don't achieve their peak performance until almost three years of age.  In my world view there are no bad dogs; only bad dog owners.

That Governor Noem did not expend sufficient time training Cricket, and failing that; rehome a likely talented wirehair pointer is appallingly disappointing. Our new pup, Ruby, landed in our household solely because the original owners did not have the skill set, patience and time to commit to the task of raising a hunting dog.

Governor Noem may not have the skill set, patience or time.  However, as a wealthy individual she does have almost limitless resources to make good life choices.  Her derisive commentary about the circumstances, failure to put the pup up for adoption, did not lift a finger to humanely euthanize the dog and finally crow about it in a book calls into account her judgement.  

I see no evidence of love or empathy.

The implication is she might lack impulse control or possibly have a personality disorder.  I'm not an armchair shrink so that's not my call. My normal dog-owning, hunting guy impression of this entire unsavory episode is that it is exceedingly unsettling. It is a bad look. As a consequence, is Kristi Noem a 'less than worthless vice presidential candidate?'  That's not my call either.

While some of Donald Trump's base supporters might applaud and celebrate this sort of behavior, it would be fascinating to observe how it wins hearts and minds in a general election.

Songster With a Temper

A foxy brown bird with heavy, dark streaking on their whitish underparts. The face is gray-brown and the wings show two black-and-white wingbars. They have bright-yellow eyes. 

An aggressive defender of its nest, this bird is known to strike people and dogs hard enough to draw blood.  Aggression aside the name of this bird comes from the sound the critter makes when scratching through debris on the ground.

This bird is endowed with one of the most varied repertoire of any bird studied. A single male can sing over 2000 songs. 

A personal favorite; the Brown Thrasher!

 

 

The Garden Chronicles

So begins another season of gardening.

The main garden has been topped-off with more soil and tilled.

The leeks have over-wintered and largely recovered from deer browse.  Leeks were new last year and starting their second season it's going to be real treat to begin the year with some home-grown alliums.

Rhubarb is coming on-line too!

Stop by periodically for a progress report and find out what's new for the 2024 growing season.

Vive le Jardin Magnifique!

Saving The Planet

Earlier this year, and 2200 miles ago, we took delivery of a battery electric vehicle - a BEV.  It is a Ford Mustang Mach-E; a sporty number that is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 in about 3.9 seconds.  If it weren't for all of the driver assist features you could rack-up some serious speeding violations in reasonably short order.  

Hands Free Driving

That aside, my acquisition of this vehicle is not going to save the planet.  Why is that you ask?  It's a consequence of my reliance on the grid.  Without a solar array or wind generator I get my electricity the same way most of my readers do - from the power company.  And the brutal, honest truth is only about 11% of the electricity generated in Wisconsin is from renewable sources.  The remaining 89% is generated by the burning of fossil fuels. 

It should come as no surprise that according to a report issued by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) that this year's most environmentally friendly automobile is the plug-in hybrid electric Toyota Prius Prime SE.  This vehicle can travel up to 44 miles on a battery charge before switching to hybrid mode.  When you factor-in the carbon emissions from both manufacturing and daily operation you have a winning combination.

And while the sale of BEVs continues to rise, the pace of growth has softened a bit as consumer tastes for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) also grows slightly faster.  As a long time shareholder this likely explains the run-up in share value as Toyota Motor has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the popularity of plug-in hybrid vehicles.  (ADR ticker TM).

So, is the EV dead on arrival?  I don't think so.  For a segment of the marketplace such as commuters who want a second vehicle and those who can afford them; an EV remains a solid choice.  Speaking for myself, it is near optimal for local use easily making a round trip to Green Bay, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Sister Bay.  With a Level Two charger in the attached garage I plug it in before going to bed and it charges overnight during off-peak hours.  As a daily ride an EV is sublime.  Would I drive it to the Gulf Coast to visit the grand kids?  With some planning I could.  Yet the notion is unappealing as the Honda Odyssey minivan is a more practical choice.

Another interesting thing I've learned is that adopters of a battery electric vehicle rarely go back and replace it with an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV).  I suspect that battery technology, and consequently range, will continue to evolve.  The price point will likely also move with the export of mass-produced, lower cost EVs from China.  An unknown factor is Donald Trump.  Demonstrably hostile to electric vehicles if he wins reelection this fall I suspect that the sale of BEVs will suffer.

Meanwhile, the sale of BEV and PHEV units will likely continue to rise as automobile manufacturers seek to improve the fuel efficiency of their fleets.  Ford, Kia and Toyota are going to continue to expand their selection of hybrid options to appeal to consumers who are not quite ready for a fully electric vehicle.  

In conclusion, is an electric vehicle or a hybrid better for the environment and save the planet?  The answer is complicated because battery manufacturing is a dirty business.  There are plenty of carbon inputs in the assembly of both.  And where I live the grid doesn't offer much in the way of renewable energy.  Factors such as range anxiety, personal preference, daily use, attraction to new technology and affordability probably play an outsize role.  I like my Mustang Mach E more than I enjoyed driving the 5.0L fire-breathing Mustang I owned between marriages.  It's a fast and sporty drive and other than my neighbors who drive Chevy Corvettes or race on the local dirt tracks I have one of the fastest rides in my small community and virtually none of the maintenance.  Besides, our family presently owns three additional ICEVs, a 4-wheeler and side-by-side powered by gasoline, a diesel tractor and a boat with a couple of two-cycle motors.

Bottom line, I'm not saving the planet. Big deal; so what.  Now, get off my damn lawn...

Smile For the Trail Camera

Recent trail camera photos include a strutting gobbler, strolling sandhill crane, red fox on the run, robins picking around for breakfast, the family dog, a ditch tiger on the prowl, and a cuddly fox squirrel.

Friday Music

Written, composed, and performed by Bob Dylan this song was released in 1965 on his album Bringing It All Back Home in 1965.  Coincidentally, California folk rock band - The Byrds - also recorded their version of the song the same year.  It has been covered by multiple artists including Melanie, Judy Collins and more.  

The Byrds’ recording reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the UK Singles Chart and (along with Dylan) made Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best songs ever.  

It is also on my personal Top 100 list.

Mr. Tambourine Man...

Return Of The Timberdoodle

While out walking the dog recently she has flushed several doodle birds.  They're common around here because of the remnant alder and willow thickets in the lowlands and younger reforested uplands.  Nevertheless, outside of the local situation this curious bird is becoming less common every year.

The American woodcock - Scolopax minor - also known as the timberdoodle - is a ground-dwelling shoreland bird species found in young forest and shrublands.  Woodcock breed across eastern North America with Wisconsin part of its western range.  This migratory bird winters in lowlands from the Mid-Atlantic south to the Gulf Coast states. 

Historically, woodcock were found in much larger numbers.  This was a consequence of a landscape that included larger amounts of early successional habitat - the technical nomenclature for younger forest.  Not surprisingly those younger forest have evolved and grown to mature forest where woodcock do not live. Fire is suppressed and logging is in decline so the extent of younger woodland habitat continues to shrink.  Urban development also destroys former habitat and because of all of these factors the woodcock population has fallen by about 1 percent each year since the 1960s. 

Aldo Leopold’s - A Sand County Almanac - describes the courtship display of the male Woodcock.  This is one of the true harbingers of spring around here and a delight to observe before sun-up.  From the chapter titled Sky Dance in this excerpt.

I'm tickled to listen to the courtship ritual.  It is another sure sign of the arrival of spring.

 

Talking Turkey

Yesterday was the last day of another Turkey season and it's looking like it's SPAM Aux Gratin for Thanksgiving dinner this year as I am turkeyless.

Saw four jakes, a lonesome hen and had three opportunities to work a gobbler only to have them each hang-up on me.  Jill reminds me that this is why i is called hunting and not shopping.

I also have no recollection of actually hunting in scattered thunderstorms.

Of course, I'm old and forgetful from time to time...

Turn-up the volume for this short digital capture of what a turkey rumble sounds like.  If I had a hand grenade I could have smoked this gobbler.

 

 

Media Circus

Jon Stewart weighs in on the media’s overblown coverage of Trump’s criminal trial, from sketch-artist interviews to following his motorcade via helicopter, and how the airtime contradicts their stated goal to give him less airtime. Plus, Daily Show alum Jessica Williams surprises us with some joyful benefits of following the Trump trial story.

Lighten-up people.

This is funny.......

Optional Equipment

Choosing how to outfit the new Toyota truck you are ordering?

Ask about this.

Tailgater's best friend.....

April Night Sky

If you are reading this you have ample notice about this evening's full moon - called the Pink Moon. 

The term ‘Pink Moon’ actually does not imply that the moon is pink.  The term derives from the spring appearance of native ground phlox and their pink blooms that coincides with the April full moon.  The Full Pink Moon of April rises this evening and will be at peak illumination at 6:49 PM CST. 

The April full moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.  The Algonquin people knew this as the Breaking Ice Moon while the Dakota identify this as the When The Ducks Come Back Moon.  These native tribal themes are certainly true around here.

More here from the Old Farmer's Almanac...

 

Setting The Record Straight

It is not a crime to pay hush money. 

It is a crime to cook the company books to hide it.

It is the cover-up that gets you in trouble. 

Competition

Speaking of trees.

From our walk there was this.

An oak and a spruce growing together, side-by-side.

The oak has had a head-start and presents itself as a 10-12 foot sapling,  Somehow a spruce seed germinated at the base and has grown into a 2 foot seedling.

I'm not going to interfere in the competition; preferring to let nature take its course. 

Talking Turkey

My first season turkey hunt got off to a disrupted start as a consequence of packing, moving, relocation to alternate living quarters, meeting with crew restoring the floor and a trip to the naked city yesterday for a co-worker’s memorial service.   (The packing, moving and alternate living quarters story will have to wait pending the outcome of Bog Box store's botched dishwasher installation).

In any event, after lunch and chores I got out to set some dekes and croon the turkey love call. Earned some return gobbles but nothing coming in to my set. 

 

Beautiful, sunny afternoon.  Long sleeve T beats winter cammo from only a few years ago. 

April 19, 2018

 

 

Following Orders

Donald Trump has said that during his presidency he was dissuaded from using the military to quell violence in Democratic-controlled cities and states.  This was a source of frustration to him.

And while he has been coy about how he might use the military during a second term, Trump's surrogates have suggested his administration would have wide latitude to deploy the military within the country's borders.

I'm not suggesting that heavy armor will be rolling down main streets across America; but it is a fair question to ask how the military will be used domestically in a second Trump administration. 

The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement; nevertheless, Trump's musings have given rise to concerns over a possible invocation of the 1792 Insurrection Act.  What are the implications for executive power, administration appointees and military oaths?

While it is true that a president can give illegal orders; he cannot execute them unilaterally.  Donald Trump has learned from his first term that in a second term it is imperative he surround himself with individuals who are loyal - not to the constitution - but to him, personally.

Trump has accused former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley of treason and deserving of execution.  There will not be a Mark Milley in a second Trump administration.  Instead there will be pliant sycophants which means the execution of sketchy orders will fall to the next line of senior military officers.

Ponder that.

This Is What Governing Looks Like

Bravo Mike Johnson for straight-up votes on foreign policy and global security interests. 

No one likes war yet Russia, China and Hamas are antithetical to basic western values.  

Johnson did the correct thing because, as a leader, he saw a differing perspective than a back-bencher like Marjorie Taylor Greene. His leadership today was courageous and he must be congratulated by all regardless of any other consideration.

This is what governing looks like.

April Night Sky

The month of April brings us the Lyrid Meteor Shower which will reach its peak the evening of April 21-22.

This meteor shower is made up of the remains of the Comet Thatcher and could produce up to 10-20 meteors per hour. Your best viewing opportunities begin late night tonight until sunrise on tomorrow.  They're expected to peak Sunday and Monday evening although there will be significantly increased meteors beginning tonight and to a lesser extent thru the middle of next week.

Look to the northeast for these shooting stars to originate from the radiant.          

Friday Music

Composed by Keith Richard and Mick Jagger this tune is the first track on the Stone's 1969 album, Let it Bleed.

If you're like me and have watched the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom this recording includes vocals by Merry Clayton. Clayton was four months pregnant at the time and was whisked to the studio without notice around midnight.  She cut the track in only a few takes and promptly returned home to bed.

Clayton solos Rape, murder!  It's just a shot away! It's just a shot away! Almost screaming the final stanza to finish with repeats of It's just a kiss away.

Merry Clayton's contribution to a stone's track as a female vocalist stood for 54 years until October of last year with the release of the Hackney Diamonds album. Lady Gaga's talents shine on the track, Sweet Sounds of Heaven. 

Turn-up the volume for Gimme Shelter....

Cute Rodent

For your morning viewing pleasure I deliver a foxy cute fox squirrel...

Who Owns Our Farmland?

There's been plenty of chatter lately on the interweb about foreign ownership of US farmland - much of it singling-out China in particular for scorn.  Anyone who follows me here or knows me on a personal basis would tell you that I am no fan of Communist Red China.  We can have a discussion another day about all there is to dislike about these commies and the teetering and dire condition of their economy and social state resulting from insular autocratic rule.  Today I would like to set the record straight on the foreign ownership matter.

Foreign persons or entities held an interest in over 43.4 million acres of US agricultural land as of December 31, 2022.

This is 3.4 percent of all privately held agricultural land and nearly 2 percent of all land in the United States.  The Top Ten countries who own the most acres are as follows:

Canada (12,845,000 acres)

Netherlands (4,875,000)

Italy (2,703,000)

United Kingdom (2,538,000)

Germany (2,269,000)

Portugal (1,483,000)

France ( 1,316,000)

Denmark (856,000)

Luxembourg (802,000)

Ireland (760,000)

According to a USDA report from 2021, China owns roughly 384,000 acres of US agricultural land.  Of that, 195,000 acres, valued at almost $2 billion at time of purchase, are owned by 85 Chinese investors, which could be individuals, companies or the government. 

Of the 109 countries that own US farmland, China ranks No. 18, far behind No. 1 Canada (12.8 million acres) and even the Cayman Islands (672,000). 

Chinese agricultural land ownership increased significantly under the Former Guy.  Only about 550 acres were purchased from 2015 to 2019.  Chinese ownership jumped 30% from 2019 to 2020, from 247,000 acres to roughly 352,000.

You're welcome.....

 Source:  Forbes

Quote Of The Day

 Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

- Carl Sagan

A Deer Behind Every Tree

Plenty of deer on the landscape around these parts.  And the numbers are going to increase when the does begin birthing their fawns. 

Sure, it's an exaggeration; but some days it feels like there's a deer behind every tree.....

Acquatics Center

From one of our daily walks on this trip the dog took a dip in all three major water bodies located on the front forty.

The rain garden pond out back adjacent to the patio and forno.  The big pond now full to the brim and home to our resident cranes and various migratory ducks.

And Silver Creek - which is flowing full bore, is deep enough for a swim and presents a challenging current.

Can't keep her out of the water.....

Economics 101

Am I better off today than I was four years ago?  How about you?

Over the course of the administration under the former guy the rise of the stock market was frequently trotted-out as a personal barometer of the success of his presidency.  Until it wasn't.  Let's look at the stock market; which crashed in 2020 the last year of the Trump presidency.  

In what became known as Black Monday II, this was one of three days March of 2020 that the sell-offs were so extreme that the New York Stock Exchange temporarily suspended trading.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 3,000 points, wiping out 13 percent of its value.

The cratering stock market presaged the coming economic calamity including a unemployment rate that would more than triple to a high of 13 percent. 

To be clear, I think presidents get too much blame for bad economies and take too much credit for strong economies.  Truthfully, it is a heavy lift for a president to move something as complex as the US economy.  Nevertheless, as of the publication of this post the broad market indices have doubled since their nadir in 2020.

Since I no longer have a day job I have to rely on my savings and investments for income.  So, yes, I am better off today than I was four years ago.

Of course I'm smart enough to know markets periodically correct.  And investing in a single index does not constitute a diversified portfolio or appropriate investment policy.  I am also smart enough to understand you should not solely conflate the rise of a stock market as a barometer of economic success.  That can lead to a bad case of schadenfreude. 

Pro Tip - Significant market corrections can present opportunity for savvy investors.  Another reason I prospered as a consequence of all four years of the Trump presidency.  Same for Biden.

From The Inbox

A week and a half ago we got clobbered with a sockdollager of a spring storm. 

Here’s a shout-out to all of the utility employees from near and far who kept the lights on and restored service for their customers. 

Details below…

 

Selfie

From March 10th there is this.

The pooch and I were out running the trail camera trapline and captured some short video footage of the pup and my fat hand at the end...

Friday Dinner

Sometimes you pull out the stops on dinner. 

This evening there was Romaine dressed with bleu cheese, croutons and bleu crumbles, venison tenderloin seared rare and baked tater.   Deglaze of fresh shrooms and Merlot.  The kitchen garden yielded fresh chives for the sour cream. 

 

Pro Tip - rub your spud in bacon drippings for added crisp and flavor. 

Peninsula sunset for dessert…..

 

Missing Pieces

During the power outage last week we had some neighbors staying over as we had our standby generator keeping the house on life support.  Our power was restored in reasonably short order - they went for five days without power before it was restored.  

Anyway, we started a jigsaw puzzle consisting of a map of London in 1666.  Jill completed it last Sunday.  It was only missing three pieces which we attribute to the dog.  They too have passed.

By the time this is published Jill has begun another jig saw puzzle - a modern day map of London that includes some three dimensional pieces.

Stay-tuned.....

Friday Music

Written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio this song was originally recorded by the US band the Four Seasons and released in 1964 on the flip side of US number one single Rag Doll (also composed by Crewe and Gaudio).

The British band The Temeloes recorded their version in 1967.  Their cover reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and rose to 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming one of the top performing songs of 1967.  I was 12 years old that year and five and a half decades later it's still gold.

Silence is Golden.....

What A Difference A Few Days Make

 

 

Started the day with some snow-covered whitetails and finishing with a photo from last Saturday.

65F on the sunny side of the porch.

What a difference a few days makes..... 

Getting Away From It All

 

A short drive from here is our pup's favorite new space.  Red River K9 offers boarding, grooming, training and daycare.  And because our red bundle of energy is in her formative years an opportunity to be away from us, socialize with other dogs and run with her pack is good.  She burns-off some energy, learns to make new doggie friends, get along with others and we catch a break for a day to square-away a class, projects and chores.

Dropped her-off this morning and already there are photos on kennel's Face Book page.....

Schnee Hirsch

Literal translation - Snow Deer.

From a snowy morning last month there was a herd moseying along the trail covered by the video trail cam.

How many can you count?

From another camera near-by there was this.  Until they shed their winter coat the superb insulating qualities of the outer guard hairs allow the snow to collect on the animal without it melting.  

Marvel of adaptation the whitetail is...
 

April Night Sky

In case you want to make sure you don't stay-up past your bedtime there is this view west early evening.  

There is a conjunction of the two day-old moon and a very bright Jupiter just after sunset.  You cannot miss the moon and Jupiter with the naked eye.  The Pleiades star cluster can be found just above the moon.  You might be able to get everything in the field of view with a pair of binoculars.

Uranus is lurking there too.  For that you might need a telescope.

Fingers-crossed for clear viewing conditions.

Image:  Bruce Betts - Stellarium

 

Recipe Of The Day

One of the things about sourdough baking is that maintaining your starter is akin to having another dependent.  Only you don't have to change its diaper and send it to college.  Nevertheless, once a week you have to feed it - a process of discarding half and replenishing it with equal amounts of high-protein flour and water.  Back in the fridge it goes.

On Saturday morning I divided and fed my starter.  

I reserved the half I would have discarded or redirected to baking bread and used it to ferment and overnight sponge for pancakes on Sunday morning.

It is an easy recipe resulting a very good pancake.  

If you follow the recipe below cut everything in half which is plenty for a hearty breakfast for two adults.  I used-up the last of some blueberries and buttermilk we had and served it up with Irish butter and local maple syrup.

If I was making this for guests I'd make a full recipe, amp-up the blueberries and fry-up some breakfast sausages from the local butcher.

This Lactobacillus fermentation is working rather well.  

Recipe here.

Raising a toast to Mad Scientist cooking....

Inflation

This advertisement is from 1963. 

I was in Green Bay recently and on a whim enjoyed a basic Whopper (with cheese) for lunch. 

No fries. No drink. 

That sandwich set me back $6.19.

 

I was mildly taken-aback, yet after reflecting on the subject 39 cents was a lot of money back in 1963 for a Government Inspected burger.  So I suspect current pricing tracks closely with six decades of inflation.

Anyway, it was, and always will be my favorite fast food burger.  I’ll probably have another in a few more years……

Survivor

The eclipse has come and gone and I live to tell the tale.

Someone notify Marjorie Taylor Greene that eclipse events are predictable.  And where was she during COVID?  That was a friggn' plague.  Sheesh.  Some days I think the House Freedom Caucus consists of cowards led by morons.  But I digress.

Here's a couple of pics from an unrepentant blogger has survived both earthquake and eclipse. 

Quote Of The Day

God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent.  Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come.  I pray that our country listens.

- Marjorie Taylor Greene

Solar Eclipse On Tap

 Not a night sky opportunity but an astronomical event worth your time and attention.

On August 21, 2017 a total eclipse sliced from coast to coast across the Lower 48 states.  For up to almost three minutes the moon blocked the view of the sun.  Today it happens again. 

This one will be bigger, better, more spectacular and will last longer.  If you miss it the next one for the United States is August 23, 2044.

You snooze - you lose.

Word Of The Day

Want to impress your friends and relatives?

Since there is a solar eclipse on tap for tomorrow try this on for size:

Umbraphile

Latin for shadow lover.  As eclipse enthusiasts are known.

Threats

Last January I published some observations and statistics covering the rise in censorship and book bans in recent years.  At the time I figured I'd revisit the subject following sufficient passage of time.

According to the American Library Association 2023 delivered 4,240 books targeted for removal from libraries.  A new record high.  This is up from 2,571 titles in 2022.  It is likely these figures are understated as not every library, local school, college or university is scrutinized.

Nevertheless, now that last year's numbers are in, challenges targeting public libraries were up 92 percent in 2023 and challenges to school libraries were up 11 percent.  

The culture war has grown from a smoldering insurrection to all-out total war.

How do I know this?  The challenges are coming from well-funded and better organized groups with national reputations.  Well-funded and better organized groups with national reputations is nothing new.  The civil rights movement is evidence of that.  

However, in their quest for limiting your and my intellectual freedom and taking control away from local communities and school boards these groups have chosen to single-out individual librarians for harassment with threats of legal action, job loss or even arrest. 

I am mindful of similar attacks targeting local election officials and poll workers with threats of violence over the last four years.  All of these people are good and decent folks.  They are our friends and neighbors and live amongst us.  Violence is not right.

Has civil society lost its collective mind?