Lies, damned lies, and statistics

Even here in the North Country we’re reaching a time of year when the sun’s rays, pouring through a window, bring a little warmth. It’s still a long time until we’ll be complaining about heat, humidity and mosquitos, but we’re on our way toward warmer, not colder, days, with, undoubtedly, some exceptions.

hoarfrost or rime ice?

Photo by J. Harrington

Looking through my pictures taken in Februarys past, next month more than others is a time to watch for hoarfrost. As more days get above freezing, moisture is released into the atmosphere. Nights, and especially early mornings, still drop below freezing, triggering formation of hoarfrost or rime ice.

Even a cantankerous curmudgeon like me admits that scenes like the one above are pretty, but no where nearly as pretty [to me] as bud burst. Some folks like to go out and play in the snow and on the ice. Just ask the John Beargrease mushers. Those of us who much prefer casting a fly to open, flowing water would no more think it appropriate to make skiing or dog-sledding or ice skating illegal than we would try to ban winter (although climate weirding is working on that). Unfortunately, too many of US elect those who would control what the rest of US read, feel, believe and tolerate. An opinion piece in today’s Star Tribune (Lying liars and their constitutional right to keep on lying) makes a case that our behaviors are controlled by what’s legal, not what’s right.

Lies provoke outrage, for sure. But unless actual physical or financial harm can be proven, Americans will simply have to live with all these lying liars and the lies they tell.

Such an overreliance on legalities, rather than ethics, concedes the prospect of improved behaviors, because we will never be willing to support enough police and lawyers to enforce effectively all the laws that would be needed. Perhaps its time to consider widespread adoption of shunning and other forms of boycott as a means to enforce social norms. At a minimum, we could, and should, stop voting for known liars and avoid purchasing products and services from major polluters, including industrial agriculture firms. We can also avoid promoting disinformation and disinformers (liars) on social media. To paraphrase an old saying “If a liar lies in the forest and there’s no one listening, did a lie get told?” Think about it.

[Today’s title comes from a saying attributed to Mark Twain.]

Bakery of Lies

By Judith Askew

My favorite is the cream puff lie,

the kind inflated with hot air,

expanded to make an heroic-sized story.

 

Another is the cannoli, a long lie,

well-packed with nutty details,

lightly wrapped in flakey truth.

 

A macaroon isn't a little white lie,

but it's covered

with self-serving coconut.

 

The apple tart carries slices

of sour gossip, only

slightly sweetened with truth.

 

Then there's the napoleon,

an Iago lie of pernicious intent,

layer upon layer of dark deceit.

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.