The social system in most of Europe during the Middle Ages is known as feudalism. A similar system existed in Japan. A defining characteristic of this system is that a ruler holds all title to land and dispenses use of the land to retainers in return for their loyalty and service in support of the ruler. These retainers in turn have there own retainers on down the line until we reach the serf at the bottom of the pyramid. A person who works for and is dependent upon those above for their survival. Eventually this system gave way to one based on class, and theoretically now to one based on democracy for all citizens of legal age regardless of class or gender, giving them a say in how society operates.

It is a new year, my 64th, which when I reflect is amazing since there was a time when the chances were good that I might not make it to 21. I consider that the last 43 are a bonus, and for the most part, a pretty good one. When I look forward towards the next 43, most of which will not belong to me, but to my grandchildren, I do not see them being as good as the ones behind me.

As I write, much of the world's attention is on Copenhagen where the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) is taking place. Prime Minister Harper is there, as is B.C. Premier Campbell, and President Obama is due to make an appearance. Functionaries in the environmental movement, assorted diplomats, and politicians are all in attendance. So are thousands of protestors.

Historically, the Pacific Northwest of North America has been one of those spots in the world where food is abundant. The sea along its coast has always been a good provider, and the most important gift it has offered up is the Pacific salmon that once filled its rivers and streams from far west of Alaska to Central California. That is changing.

My first introduction to Donella Meadows was in the mid-1990s after I began publishing The Record in Gold River. I found her columns on the Internet published under the title "The Global Citizen," columns that spoke clearly about our environment and our place in it. I corresponded with Dr. Meadows and she allowed me to republish them as I could so that a wider audience would have access to her knowledge and vision.

Like many people in the past, Donella was a prophet whose message, as plain and obvious as it was, went unheeded by most, and flat out denied by many.

There is no doubt that the seasons have changed. The last few days have seen frost on the ground in my garden. The tomatoes, squash, beans and cucumbers are all gone, my 15-foot high sunflowers have pooped out, and the chili peppers hang on in the hot house, soon to succumb to cooler days with limited sunshine. The last basil was picked this week, and what is left is the chard which will produce outside until a hard frost gets it, and inside all winter long. If the autumn is not too cold and dark a new crop of snow peas will come up inside, a welcome addition to winter meals.

It is the evening of the day, I sit and watch the children play, Doin' things I used to do, they think they are new, I sit and watch as tears go by....

--"As Tears Go By," Jagger/Oldham/Richards

Often when I work late at night I listen to 1960s and '70s music on Internet radio. I came of age in the '60s and it brings back many memories of my youth and early adulthood. With a few exceptions they were good memories. In many ways it was a better world then. There were certainly more fish.

It has been a riot watching the tea-baggers on the news, and reading stories about them. Tea-baggers, those are the people showing up at the so-called tea parties all over the U.S. They remind me of the "brown shirts" and other manipulated fools in history who got sucked into doing the dirty work for people who use them, but also look down on them with contempt. Useful idiots you could call them.

Sadly, most of them are not idiots, and in most circumstances normal, decent people whose biggest mistake is to let others do their thinking for them. People who have abandoned reason in favour of reacting with emotion rather than logic.

My greatest source of amusement the past few weeks has been watching a lot of Americans act like gullible idiots on the health care issue. What is even more amusing is that progressives like Representative Denis Kucinich and the usual gaggle of right-wing nut bars both oppose the Obama health care plan. Of course they do not oppose it for the same reason.

The Internet is wonderful. I get a lot of news feeds via email and RSS, much more news, and a wider variety, than one would ever get when print media was the only real source for an in-depth look at what was going on in the world. I get stuff from the left, the right and the mushy middle. Some of it is interesting, some hilarious and some even frightening.