A Controversial Question
Daylight Savings Time

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

This is an interesting thread.

You're trying to start another undead thread!

Now this may hold some promise of controversy.

You'll notice that some of the old links list has appeared. The way TypePad does this requires that I do them one at a time, and I only got started last night (spent most of the time figuring out how).

This empty post, btw, is a side effect of the import process, which I forgot to delete until Janet had already happened upon it. You'll notice the archive is now several months longer. This is a very tiresome process--takes twenty minutes or so to move a couple of months' worth of posts.

I never thought importing posts/links was such a hassle. My continued prayers, Sir.

I just thought that you were making a profound comment of the vapidity of one particular moment of time (March 17, 2010, 9:15:15), and I was impressed by your ability to convey your message without using a single word.

AMDG

Yeah, I was thinking on the way to work that I ought to use this style of writing more often.

The import process itself, strictly speaking, is not time-consuming. It's getting ready for it that takes a while. TypePad can only import what's on Blogger's front page, and Blogger will only display up to 1mb of data on its front page. Depending on the number and length of posts, amount of graphics, etc. that seems to be running about 8-10 weeks worth of posts. So I have to import, note the last post imported, log in to Blogger, delete all the posts that were included in the last import, then import. The time-consuming part is the deletion--there's no way to delete multiple posts, and deleting each one takes four or five mouse clicks, and possibly some scrolling (when the post is long, because the "do you really want to.." button is at the bottom). Adds up when you have 50 posts to delete.

I'm not deleting from lightondarkwater.com, btw, but from lightondarkwater.blogspot.com, which in the normal run of things nobody saw.

Just checked lightondarkwater.blogspot.com. Not the easiest thing to read.

Nope, it's not supposed to be at this point. Normally it would look exactly like lightondarkwater.com/blog, which was a copy of lightondarkwater.blogspot.com anyway until Blogger turned off my ability to perform that copy operation, thus precipitating the hurried move here, but TypePad's import process requires changing the Blogger blog to a skeletal template which results in a simple document it can import.

Since you asked...:-)

We now have a new undead thread. It's not really an orphan thread, comments without a post, like the other two, just an empty post with comments. It's appropriate because once again Janet happened to be there when it appeared (it's a side effect, presumably an error, of the Blogger import process). I couldn't figure out a good way to get any kind of indicator of new comments present on the old Halo/Echo thread, and it occurred to me that this would do the job.

So have at it....

Oh happy day!

AMDG

Now that I know what these things are for, I'm going to join in.

I'm not quick enough to be the first anything. Or to notice things like empty posts.

Well, many of my own posts are kind of empty, but that's a different matter.

By the way, Mac, did you know that when you click on "Home" at the top of the page, it gives you an error message?

You did it wrong, Robert. When you click on the button, you have to click your heels three times and say, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

AMDG

Thanks, Robert, I didn't know that. I know what's causing it but I don't know if I can fix it.

I mean, in a more straightforward way than the heel-clicking method.

"I know what's causing it but I don't know if I can fix it." It's the flying monkeys, isn't it?

AMDG

Was. They're vanquished now.

Dang. And I was practicing the heel clicking. Now it isn't necessary.

You never know when a little heel clicking might come in handy. And while you're waiting, you better get yourself some ruby slippers.

AMDG

How do you know I don't have some?

Please send a picture.

AMDG

:-)

They are invisible.

:-) :-)

Well, I know you have a lot of work to do on the blog, but at least it seems to be functioning well.

AMDG

We're going to have to get used to this "next" thing, though.

AMDG

Maybe I should switch the comment order to be most-recent-first? I know that option is available but it's probably all or none. It would be nice to have these threads m-r-f, but most of the time the post comments are better in most-recent-last order. Though if they get very long that won't be true.

I do still plan to change the appearance somewhat but haven't had time to mess with it for a couple of weeks.

It would be really nice if you could only have this one m-r-f, but I guess TypePad just didn't foresee undead threads. :-)

I like all the threads in that order, but I think I'm in a distinct minority. You're right, though, any long thread is going to have this moving-to-the-next-screen issue.

AMDG

Anyway, I think my main point was, the blog currently feels homey enough that I don't feel dispossessed anymore.

AMDG

That's good. It's not quite there for me yet, but a lot better than it was at first.

I wish the font for "Light On Dark Water" were different. Something more, I don't know, seraffy? More archaic?

Yeah, I'm not crazy about that, though maybe for slightly different reasons. Departing very far from a few standard fonts on the web is a treacherous business. Might need a graphic instead. Actually I want to do a graphic banner with a photo, but haven't had a chance to experiment yet.

Mac, I sent an e-mail to your gmail account. I can't remember whether you said you read that account very often.

Yes, that's my main email acct, and I just saw and replied to your message. Thanks.

Today's xkcd is funny.

I just switched the comment order to descending. I'm not sure this is any better, as you still have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to make a new comment. I can put more comments per page, to lessen the need for 'next/previous', but then it's more scrolling.

I think that must have been Becca flying back from VA.

AMDG

Becca must be a very wonderful girl.

The wonders never cease!
AMDG

I just noticed how far back the archives go. Looks like some progress.

AMDG

Does anyone have a clue how I could open a bank account in the USA? I tried googling, eg, 'bank Southbend' but the kind of banks that came up didn't seem to be the sort that give you a cheque book and a maestro card. I need to give Dan a dollar cheque and I am moving to Southbend in the autumn, so it seemed like a good idea to open a bank account there.

South Bend, IN? Are you going to teach at Notre Dame?

AMDG

I tried googling 'Southbend Indiana' and then I did get some normal 'cheque book and maestro' card banks. Then I went to the 'contact us' page and tried filling in a combox with a request to open an account. But I couldn't fill in all the fields - eg, the number of 'digits' in our postcodes isn't the same as the number in your zipcodes. And so it wouldn't post the email.

"...normal 'cheque book and maestro' card..."

There's your problem. We don't have cheques here. Or maestro cards, either. :-)

No, seriously, I don't know what to tell you. I'm sure this would all be quite simple (well, more simple) if you could just walk in. If you want to email me maybe I can somehow facilitate this deal with DN. (A check for a dollar?!?)

Re the archives: yes, I do another chunk every few days or so. I'm somewhat frustrated by how much there is to do--not only the actual old blog, but a lot of non-blog stuff at the old address. For instance, the 1st two years or so of SNJs were not blog posts. Turning them into blog posts was one of the things I never did last year during the SNJ hiatus. I'm trying to just keep plodding and do one thing at a time.

I have taken down some telephone numbers of American banks. I am going to call them. It may be easy for me to open an account. If I succeed, then it will be easy to buy the icon from Dan. It should be easy anyhow.

I phoned some banks and it was impossible to start a bank account over the phone or by email. So I gave up and I'm sending the money by Western Union.

Francesca,
Did you answer Mac's question? If you are teaching at Notre Dame, I have two sons there. Also, I applied for the same job!

Maclin, thank you for offering to help with paying Dan. I am organizing it through Western Union.

Yesterday's xkcd was quite funny, but perhaps only to techies:

http://xkcd.com/727/

I think you may be right about that.

AMDG

I really hate it when you get a coke in a can and it has obviously spent a lot of time in the presence of someone who smokes.

AMDG

You mean the can or the contents? Obviously the latter would be worse. But I wouldn't have thought an aluminum can would retain a smell to that degree.

I loved coke-type soft drinks when I was a kid, and I guess up into my 20s somewhere, but I almost completely lost my taste for them later. Now and then in really hot weather about half of one hits the spot.

"I really hate it when..."

Oh *gag*

The can. It's like it has a layer of something on the top that smells like the worst part of cigarette smoke. I think it might be nicotine.

I was just talking to Bill this morning about how I loved cokes in heavy glass bottles--really cold.

AMDG

This is what's been going on here today:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2362926,00.asp

Though ours aren't rebooting constantly, they just restart once and then are pretty much crippled.

Fortunately my machine escaped, even though I have McAfee installed--for some reason it's failed to get updates since late Feb., a happy malfunction.

Paul - I just happened to look at your blog. I clicked on your name. I thought you had taken it down. The Third Order Norbertines you mention must be Marianne's outfit. It seems like a real sign of hope there.

Do you know anything about the plagiarism case in Leuven? I only heard about it yesterday, probably because I was offline at the time. I know the philosopher concerned. I can't get over his having been so foolish. He must have counted on most academics being too lazy to read other people's books. But he didn't reckon on academics having supersonic hearsight when it comes to their own writing, and its being copied. For me, with all plagiarism, there is an ultimate mystery about how they thought they could get away with it. It may be the most mysterious crime there is.

"supersonic hearsight" That's a great phrase.

A while back I ran across something I'd written that had been copied/pasted directly into someone else's blog, and although there was an attribution at the end it wasn't obvious at first glance that it wasn't the blogger's own work. I didn't instantly recognize it, and before the recognition actually kicked in, several sentences in, I was having a very odd deja-vu-ish sensation.

I hope this wasn't me. If I do anything like that, let me know.

No, it wasn't you, Robert. I've forgotten now--it was something distributist-related. I didn't really mind, since the attribution was there.

That's from the Jennings & Darbyshire books. They are prep school boys, and when they are up to anything, their Maths master, Mr Painter (I think) hears is with his supersonic hearsight.

Please pray for people in our area. There have been something like 30 tornadoes sighted today. Over ten inches of rain and 8 more expected tonight. People being evacuated from trailers because they are floating. A fire engine on a rescue mission was swamped and turned over.

We have been south of most of the storms, although there is water sitting all over the yard, and I don't know if we will be able to get to church tomorrow.

AMDG

I'm sorry--meant to say 9 tornadoes in 30 hours. :-)

AMDG

!!! Am praying, Miss Janet!!!

Just spotted Francesca's note from 22 April. I know some of the people involved, but I don't know anything about the plagiarism case that isn't in the public domain (they were trying to keep it fairly quiet, but it got into the newspapers somehow). Hilariously, one of the newspapers added a picture to their online coverage of the story - the first picture you get in google images if you search for the man's name +philosopher, but not the same man at all!

I stopped blogging at the beginning of last Advent, for a variety of reasons, but decided to return to it this Easter. Having decided which, I haven't actually found the time to write anything for the blog for the last fortnight ...

I just learned that a friend's mother has been diagnosed with cancer. If y'all could please pray for them, it would be most appreciated.

Certainly. Do they know yet how bad it is?

Stage Two. She'll be have an operation on June 3, if I understood correctly.

Thank you for your prayers.

Could be a lot worse then, right? I mean, as far as the prognosis is concerned.

Could be. *sigh*

Look who owns the sidewalks in Newport Beach.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31287701&l=26b6d10083&id=1413619572

AMDG

I didn't think he travelled that much.

wow

http://bettyduffy.blogspot.com/2010/05/two-shall-become-one.html

I tried this before but it never appeared.

AMDG

Wow indeed.

Well, that's weird, I seem to have had a comment disappear, too. So, I repeat:

wow indeed.

I am actually following the USA-Algeria soccer match online, here.

Another nice album cover:

http://images.emusic.com/music/images/album/284/119/570/11957017/600x600.jpg

Very nostalgic if you're of the right age to have been the little boy in that picture, and moreover had a fascination with airplanes that lasted well into adolescence.

Yeah, I like that one. Obviously, girls can fly by themselves but boys need airplanes.

AMDG

Ha! Nice shot--it took me a second to figure out what you meant.

This is what Janet is talking about--I had posted a link to it last week or so:

http://images.emusic.com/music/images/album/292/119/835/11983533/600x600.jpg

The organist's last job:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DBAoWr-imY&feature=related

How can you not laugh?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65M57Z20100623

It would be different if someone had been hurt, of course.

Do you Americans know what 'fair-traded' means? I had it in my book, the copy-editor took it out, I put it back in, and now I find the copy editor took it back out again. Is the term incomprehensible to you? Do you know what 'fair-traded chocolate chip cookies are'?

I've heard the term but am not totally sure what it means. Something "alternative", I think? :-) It seems to have something to do with getting fair prices to the original producers of something, like coffee--I'm pretty sure I've seen references to fair-trade coffee.

Yes, Francesca, if it means to you what it means to Maclin I am familiar with that term except here we just say "trade" and not "traded."

AMDG

Remarkably uncynical xkcd today:

http://xkcd.com/767/

You know, Mr. Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister. Presbyterians are ordained to a specific ministry and he was ordained to television ministry.

AMDG

I hate to be cynical, but don't you think that this is a cynical comment on Mel Gibson?

AMDG

Didn't cross my mind, but I suppose it's possible.

Googling "fair-traded chocolate chip cookies" turns up two references: this thread, and this menu.

One thing that's amusing about Facebook is the unintended juxtapositions. Today "Karen likes Jesus Christ is our Savior and George W. Bush."

AMDG

That brings forth images of left-wing apoplexy.

A new form of bird flu, I guess.

AMDG

A while back there was a discussion of Woodstock. Looking at pictures now, I can't help wishing I'd been there.

LOL. Yeah, I'm pretty sure Maclin would like to be there, too.

AMDG

Well, Paul, if I have time later I'll try to find you some stories by people who were miserable at Woodstock.

I just googled "i was miserable at woodstock" and got this:

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-08-14/news/9408110463_1_woodstock-festival-woodstock-nostalgia-25th-anniversary

Oh, I see, I missed that "pictures" was a link--I was looking at it in the comments list I see when I'm logged in to my TypePad account, which doesn't show links. Thanks, Janet--I was wondering about your verb tense. Yeah, I think I'll go there tonight, in a manner of speaking.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)