…that we’ve reached a turning point?
Even though the shortest day of the year isn’t for almost another week, sunset is already getting later.
Good.
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Previously a lifelong Democrat, born in New York and living in New England, surrounded by liberals on all sides, I've found myself slowly but surely 
December 15th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
We noticed what seemed to us a huge difference in when O’Dark Thirty hits when we moved from our old mid-Cali’ latitude to near-the-Canadian border last year. Those few number degress make for a whopping difference.
…it is fricking dark around here at 4P.
…still havent’ got used to it.
OTOH, it balances, as midsummer “evenings” last ’til forever lol.
December 15th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
I DID notice this, but didn’t give it much thought – just figured it was my imagination or not paying close enough attention. Thanks for that link – never realized this!
December 15th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
I’ve noticed it as well, and not (just) this year but in years past. In perfectly symmetric surroundings, we’d expect the earliest sunset and the lastest sunrise to be on the same day, the day of the winter solstice.
But the solar system, and indeed the known material universe, has its asymmetries and wobbles, and you (and I) have observed one such.
I compare it to a beautiful leaf that has just fallen from a tree. The leaf is beautiful, but even if it’s essentially symmetric when beheld, it isn’t absolutely, perfectly symmetric in every micromathematical sense. Matter just isn’t going to be perfect that way.
Beautiful women (and I suppose very handsome men, although I don’t notice them in the way I notice beautiful women) will have their asymmetries. I dare suggest that, for example, were their faces absolutely, perfectly symmetric, they possibly would not be as beautiful. Something about aesthetics, concerning which I know precious little. I guess God is an aesthete, at least when it comes to creating beauty.
Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it [smile].
December 15th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
that’s an intriguing comment MJR, I recall sometime just previous when “they” were saying that “why we found people beautiful was because their faces were symetrical !” However in my opinion it was a “lame” conclusion. Beauty really is a matter of a persons preference. I do not find Gesele Bunchin (sp) very attractive & she is a supermodel or Hedi Klum either. On the other hand Tom Brady’s 1st baby momma Bridget
Monahan I consider quite beautiful. BTW some one did research on “those symetrical faces” & surprisingly Whoopie Goldberg filled all the criteria for a symetrical face ! (not quite a head turner )
December 15th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
The Japanese have an aesthetic concept called wabi. That is the flaw illuminates the beauty. If given a choice between a perfect porcelain bowl or one with a fine crack that doesn’t detract from the usefulness of the bowl the cultured Japanese will choose the bowl with the crack. This is why many top Japanese models will have a noticeable defect such as a single snaggletooth.
December 15th, 2012 at 8:31 pm
CharlieSays, 6:42 pm — Bingo! (or however one says “Bingo” in Japanese)
December 15th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Molly NH, 5:25 pm — Gotcha, especially the part about Whoopie Goldberg [snark] . . .
December 16th, 2012 at 12:08 am
http://www.charlotterampling.net/frames.html
This is beauty… but I have a racist, sexist, Islamophobist prejudice because the young Charlotte bears a striking resemblance to my wife all those decades ago when I first saw her in physics 101.
BTW, sunset or sunrise all that counts is that we keep turning. Yesterday my daughter had her last chemo session. Come June 2013 we are taking her and our steadfast son in law to Iceland for 8 days of adventure. Long may we all run. Light and darkness. Ice and fire. Velvet and steel. We live one day at a time. Cliches are cliches because….
December 16th, 2012 at 12:43 am
parker, 12:08 am — God bless . . .
December 16th, 2012 at 12:58 am
Yeah, we’ve reached a turning point, all right.
December 16th, 2012 at 1:20 am
M J R,
That would be Hai! Hai is Japanese for yes and nearlu every positive exclamation.
December 16th, 2012 at 1:48 am
Prayers and best wishes for your precious daughter, Parker!
December 16th, 2012 at 2:49 am
You and your family might want to consider staying in Iceland, parker. Just an idea.
(Yeah, I had the hots for Charlotte Rampling back in the day.)
December 16th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Parker,
W/ regard to your daughter’s last chemo. Congrats to her and all best wishes for her recovery (from a 3x survivor).
December 16th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
CharlieSays, 1:20 am — In that case . . . Hai!
December 16th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Clearly its due to Anthropogenic Global Warming…(snark off)
Here in central Florida, same old, same old so I suspect its a New England phenomena, probably due to the inordinate number of liberals
December 16th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Geoffrey Britain: actually, I’ve read that it is dependent on latitude.
December 16th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Here in TX the short winter days don’t bother me, for two reasons: 1) they are about an hour longer than the shortest winter days of my NE childhood; 2) winter climate in TX is a pleasant respite from summer- rather like late October to November in NE. If summer days are 95 or below, I have no problem, but I have never gotten comfortable with 100+ weather.
For all their discomfort, NE winters have their beauty. My most vivid memories of being outside in NE come from wintertime. Winter sunrise and winter stars with snow on the ground have stuck more in my mind than spring or summer.
Entertaining interchange between Geoffrey Brittain and Neo on the reasons for short winter days in NE.
December 16th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
definately latitude, I recall being in Quebec city in early July where it was just getting dark at
at 10:30 PM!!!!
It made me kind of curious to experience the “white nights” phenomenon in Russia around June 21. By contrast I believe the equater has 12 hr days/nights constantly.