January 26, 2021

Have an ice hike – The Senators sworn in for the impeachment – Birx and Fauci talk about the previous administration – Evening statistics

I was anticipating today’s hike with the Vigorous Hikers to be not very enjoyable, for the forecast until recently had been for rain today.  But the rain started yesterday afternoon and was already tapering off during my drive to the trailhead, and it stopped before I reached the parking area for Mount Marshall.  It left in its wake mingled snow and ice on the trails, amounting to perhaps a half-inch deep – not enough to hinder progress with the appropriate footwear, but enough to make microspikes advisable.  Two members of our group did not bring theirs, and they clearly had difficulties during the initial ascent.  As we went to higher elevations the branches and twigs became lined with ice rime, giving them a delicate, lace-like appearance.  A light mist pervaded the air.  Initially we had planned to have lunch at a viewpoint that was rather exposed; but as the winds picked up the higher we went, we decided to eat at a somewhat more sheltered area.  It was a wise decision, for the mist closed in to such an extent that was impossible to see anything from the viewpoint.  Walking in mist, however, has pleasures of its own, and throughout the descent the branches covered with ice arched and drooped over the trails, occasionally forming almost perfect parabolas.  The temperature became warmer as we descended during the afternoon, and much of the ice covering the trails had melted; but happily, it had not reached the stage of becoming muddy.  It was about 17½ miles, with 3100 feet of elevation gain, but none of the ascents were very steep.  The traction provided by the microspikes made the traversing of mingled ice and snow firmly packed on the trails an oddly satisfying experience.  For the last three miles, however, these were no longer necessary, and I removed them; my footsteps on the trails at that point felt nearly as stable without them and during much of the final mile that snow/ice combination acquired a slushy texture.  We had no rain at all, and it never became very cold, even in the windy sections. 

Obtaining great draughts of open air, exertions resulting in a pleasurable tiredness afterwards, a warm bath to follow, as food whose flavor one can appreciate all the more thoroughly after the exercise – such pleasures may not be a panacea for the ills that are currently going on, but they are the most reliable ones we can savor at the moment.

The article of impeachment has been formally presented to the Senate, and the Senators have been sworn in.  Patrick Leahy, who oversaw the swearing in of his colleagues, was taken to a hospital almost immediately afterwards – “out of an excess of caution,” it is said.  He is 80 years old.  I can’t be the only one asking the question of why so many politicians continue to hold office – the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg is another example and Nancy Pelosi, who also is 80, may be said to be still another – at an age when their faculties and energy are almost certain to be declining.  There has been a great deal of talk of imposing term limits on various political positions, but to date nothing has come of it.

It seems that not much will come out of the impeachment either.  So far most Republican Senators seem reluctant to vote to convict their idol, fallen though he is.  It may be that several are keeping silent until the time to cast their vote has come, but at this point it looks doubtful whether 17 or more Republican Senators will vote for conviction – which means that Trump will not be penalized even if all of the Democratic Senators vote against him.  Still, the impeachment may damage him in financial circles, as many companies are now going out of their way to dissociate themselves from him.  At all events the effort is worth an attempt.   He must be restrained from running for office again by one means or other.

Now that Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci are free from the restraints placed upon them by the Trump administration, they have become quite outspoken about the level to which Trump’s uncooperativeness could go.  Birx said in an interview that she rarely had a chance to meet him at all during his administration and that he continually presented graphs and charts that he ascribed to her but which she had never seen, let alone endorsed.  Fauci describes Trump as being continually in denial about the virus since its inception and that some of his irresponsible reactions, such as his recommendation in April about using disinfectant as a preventative against COVID, gave Fauci no choice but to contradict them publicly and as quickly as possible.  “Even if I wasn’t very effective in changing everybody’s minds, the idea that they knew that nonsense could not be spouted without my pushing back on it, I felt was important.”

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide:  100,807,884; # of deaths worldwide: 2,165,017; # of cases U.S.: 26,008,601; # of deaths; U.S.: 435,362.