What's in the News? 2.0

[ChaoticWake]

Watching the KBJ confirmation hearings, and I gotta say....Senator Booker has me getting a little emotional.

"Don't worry, my sister. Don't worry. G-d has got you. You know how I know that? Because you're here."

Okay, Senator...that one got me in the feels.

[RedRose]

I guess I’m a bit late to this (ironic, being a discussion of time), but the reason people prefer UTC or Zulu over GMT is not about any antipathy toward Greenwich. I guess the simplest way to put it is that UTC and GMT are two entirely different things… that just happen to overlap in a confusing way.

UTC is a international time standard… not the only standard, just the one we use for our day-to-day time needs. UT1 is the actual real standard for universal time. More on that in a bit.

GMT used to be an international time standard, based on a prime meridian set at the Greenwich Observatory. In plain English, noon is the moment the Sun passes directly over the Observatory…

…

… in theory.

In reality, it never really worked, because of a number of confounding factors, like the fact that the Earth’s orbit is irregular, and its rotational speed isn’t constant (it’s sped up and slowed down by the interactions of the other planets and the Moon and the time of year, etc.). When you talk about the time between the Sun being directly overhead from one rotation to the next, you’re talking about a “solar day”. That’s what GMT was based on: solar days.

But like I said, it never really worked, because the Earth wobbles and speeds up/slows down so much, a solar day varies by some crazy amount (I think it’s almost an hour over the course of a year). (Note: I’m not talking about the difference in the length of daylight that occurs over the year due to axial tilt. I’m talking about the time from “noon Tuesday” to “noon Wednesday” being more or less than 24 hours from one day to the next.) What they did was just take all the different times the Sun was over the Observatory over the course of a year, and average them. This is why it’s called Greenwich MEAN Time; it’s not because of bad attitude, it’s because of inconsistent latitude. (See what I did there?)

Aside from the problem of the length of a day varying by several minutes over the course of a year, there was another huge problem with GMT, and that was its prime meridian. What’s wrong with using the Greenwich Observatory as the prime meridian? Well, it does the one thing you absolutely do not want a prime meridian to do. It moves.

Plate tectonics, remember? England is not sitting still; it’s moving. On the order of tens of millimetres per year. If you’re in California, and you want to know what the time is, and you have to start with the prime meridian to calculate that, it’s a real pisser to find out that your time is off because Greenwich isn’t where you saw it last. That, and other factors, make the Observatory an inconsistent position on the Earth, which is problematic for a prime meridian.

So, because of all this wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff, many years ago, they ditched GMT as a time standard, and instead of using solar time, they started using sidereal time… which is basically like using a distant star instead of the Sun (because unlike the Sun, distant stars don’t wobble (noticeably)), and saying a sidereal day is the time between when that star is directly overhead from one rotation to the next. (Actually, that’s a stellar day. A sidereal day is the same thing, except with a correction to account for the Earth’s wobbling rotation (in addition to the Sun’s).) They also fixed a virtual prime meridian, again based on stars. (Actually, technically, I think they use pulsars rather than stars, because pulsars are easier to fix positions for.) As a side effect, that makes it possible to determine the precise time from anywhere on Earth (or off Earth, even); you don’t need to call up the blokes at Greenwich to ask where the Sun is. Or where Greenwich is.

That’s UT1. It’s the “true time”, as determined by astronomy and geometry, unaffected by the wobbling of the Earth or the Sun.

UTC is simpler. They basically said, okay, we know how long a second is (it’s based on caesium atoms, yadda yadda), and a day is (60×60×24) seconds, so 86,400 seconds. We have atomic clocks that keep time basically perfectly, so we’ll just use those. Ah, but because the Earth’s rotation is unsteady (and not perfectly 86,4000 seconds in any case), in order to keep roughly (better than 1 second) aligned with true time—UT1—we’ll just occasionally add (or subtract) leap seconds. So that’s what UTC is: atomic time, occasionally adjusted by a second to make sure it doesn’t drift away from the true time.

So even when talking about time standards, UTC and GMT are not the same thing. They’re close enough for most people, most of the time; I think they never differ by more than 5 minutes. But they’re completely different beasts, and they do differ by a not insignificant amount.

But there’s another complication.

That’s because while GMT is (was!) a time standard… it’s also a time zone. It’s the time zone the UK uses for half the year (the non-summer time zone), as well as few other places.

GMT (the zone) used to use GMT (the standard), but now uses UTC. Ironically, while GMT no longer uses GMT, some other places where the time zone is not GMT still use GMT. Confused yet?

This is why people serious about time keeping don’t like saying “GMT” anymore, and prefer using “UTC” or “Zulu time” (or “zero time”; there are many other names for it).

• GMT and UTC are not the same thing (even when you’re just referring to time standards). They’re not even close, if you really care about time. (They differ by minutes.)
• “GMT” is also a time zone, so when you say “it’s 6 o’clock GMT”, what do you mean? Do you mean the coordinated universal time is 6 o’clock, or that it’s 6 o’clock in London? (Yes, there’s usually no difference between the two numerically (temporally?), but they’re still different conceptually: one is a global time, the other is a local time. If I’m writing a program to tell the user the time and I see “6 o’clock GMT” or “6:00GMT”, that tells me I have to convert it to the user’s local time zone… whereas when I see “6 o’clock UTC” or “0600Z”, I don’t bother to convert.)
• GMT the standard is still being used in some places, so it’s not like I can even assume that every “GMT” I see these days means the time zone. And given that GMT (the standard) can differ from UTC (and GMT, the modern time zone!) by several minutes… if I care about accurate time, it really matters.

(Why do I know all this useless crap? From programming. You think keeping track of time with UTC and GMT is messy, try throwing Unix time into the mix as well. Not to mention trying to precisely determine whether two things happened at the “same” time, or which one came first, when transmission lag and relativity enter the mix.)

Also, yes, down with changing the clocks! I don’t care if we do permanent DST or not—it won’t really matter—so long as there are no more time changes. (Well, aside from the occasional UTC leap second!)

I am so confused about the abbreviations! When someone asks for my time, I either say what time it is now, or French. This is interesting.

[Oreo]

I am so confused about the abbreviations! When someone asks for my time, I either say what time it is now, or French. This is interesting.

The Greenwich Mean Time is important for setting time on computer sites. Like here on E mine is GMT -8. When set to that the post time stamps records my actual time online here. Having the wrong time stamp on computers and consoles can sometimes cause glitches. That is why one of the first thing they have you do is enter your time and date.

[Saria]

The Greenwich Mean Time is important for setting time on computer sites. Like here on E mine is GMT -8. When set to that the post time stamps records my actual time online here. Having the wrong time stamp on computers and consoles can sometimes cause glitches. That is why one of the first thing they have you do is enter your time and date.

I’ve been told by older hackers that in the before-before times, there used to be lots of software distributed as time-limited “preview” software. The idea was that you’d install the software, and it would run with full functionality for, say, 30 days, and then lock up until you paid for it.

What people used to do, then, was simply set their computer’s clock to, like, 100 years in the future… install the software… and then set the clock back to the proper time. “You have 36,529 days left in your trial.”

[Oniya]

I’ve been told by older hackers that in the before-before times, there used to be lots of software distributed as time-limited “preview” software. The idea was that you’d install the software, and it would run with full functionality for, say, 30 days, and then lock up until you paid for it.

What people used to do, then, was simply set their computer’s clock to, like, 100 years in the future… install the software… and then set the clock back to the proper time. “You have 36,529 days left in your trial.”

*coughs*
*raises hand*

[Oreo]

I’ve been told by older hackers that in the before-before times, there used to be lots of software distributed as time-limited “preview” software. The idea was that you’d install the software, and it would run with full functionality for, say, 30 days, and then lock up until you paid for it.

What people used to do, then, was simply set their computer’s clock to, like, 100 years in the future… install the software… and then set the clock back to the proper time. “You have 36,529 days left in your trial.”

Even more awesomeness about time.

[CyranoDeBergerac]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/03/24/world-historic-first-microplastics-detected-human-blood

For the first time microplastics have been detected in human blood

[TheGlyphstone]

Does that technically make us cyborgs?

[Tolvo]

https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-jk-rowling-proof-west-cancel-culture/

Bit of an odd crossover though it makes a lot of sense given their shared political beliefs, bigotry, and the connections JK has to the Russian Government through her TERF friends. Putin is likening the public view of Russia on a global scale to Jk Rowling being criticized for her hatred of trans people which Putin also shares. I wasn't sure if this should go in the war thread since it is really something speaking more on her politics. Rowling is now trying to distance herself from any comparisons to Putin though seems to not deny that they have the same politics, just that she is against the invasion.

[Oniya]

https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-jk-rowling-proof-west-cancel-culture/

Bit of an odd crossover though it makes a lot of sense given their shared political beliefs, bigotry, and the connections JK has to the Russian Government through her TERF friends. Putin is likening the public view of Russia on a global scale to Jk Rowling being criticized for her hatred of trans people which Putin also shares. I wasn't sure if this should go in the war thread since it is really something speaking more on her politics. Rowling is now trying to distance herself from any comparisons to Putin though seems to not deny that they have the same politics, just that she is against the invasion.

Little Oni said something this morning about the new movie plot having to do with 'making sure WWII happened'?

I promptly referred her to Katherine Kurtz's 'Lammas Night' and told her Rowling was plagiarizing the wrong people.

[Tolvo]

That is essentially the plot yes, with the main Jewish wizard joining the villain whose plan is trying to stop the holocaust and Dumbledore and friends trying to make sure the villain fails, ergo ensuring that it does happen. With the idea being that it is tampering with the Muggle world and that he wants to become a magic dictator, so they have to stop it from happening and let the Muggles make their own choices. JK Rowling is one of those authors who thinks nothing through and when people ask "So why didn't the Wizards prevent WW2?" she tries in the absolute worst ways to justify it. When a smarter author would probably just never address it because oh god there is no good explanation for why they didn't.

[Oniya]

That is essentially the plot yes, with the main Jewish wizard joining the villain whose plan is trying to stop the holocaust and Dumbledore and friends trying to make sure the villain fails, ergo ensuring that it does happen. With the idea being that it is tampering with the Muggle world and that he wants to become a magic dictator, so they have to stop it from happening and let the Muggles make their own choices. JK Rowling is one of those authors who thinks nothing through and when people ask "So why didn't the Wizards prevent WW2?" she tries in the absolute worst ways to justify it. When a smarter author would probably just never address it because oh god there is no good explanation for why they didn't.

There are ways to do it - I'm in a creative slump, and was able to come up with one right off the bat.  (Namely, they tried, but wizards on the other side - probably Death Eaters - were working against them, because the whole idea of 'master race' is part of their raison d'etre'.)

Of course, that means you have to end the story with the good guys losing.  Or do as Kurtz did and have the good guys providing a significant, behind-the-scenes contribution to the Allies eventually winning.

[Tolvo]

A part of the problem there is that there are already many things established in Harry Potter that prevent them from doing that, as the timeline was already explained in the novels and covered the 1900's. That the Wizarding world laws go against interfering in any way, that many of the wizard laws and institutions honestly would share views with the Third Reich. She just really doesn't plan anything ahead at all so when she hits these points she's so in a corner anyone would just not address it but instead she just can't help herself. It is kind of astonishing really just how little planning she does. Or just go ahead and retcon things but she would be loathe to admit to a mistake.

[stormwyrm]

I'd have a better explanation for that if I were writing it too: maybe the wizarding world had a parallel war of their own at the time. They couldn't prevent the muggle wars because they had their own secret war too, entangled with the muggle war. Makes some sense because even in real life the Nazis were well known to be eyeballs deep in occultism, especially the SS. They might have had a cadre of wizards working for them, with other wizards working for the Allies, and both perhaps made behind the scenes contributions to the muggle side of the war. If I recall correctly, there are even legends that the Germans never managed a land invasion of Britain partly thanks to magicians focusing their power.

[Oniya]

If I recall correctly, there are even legends that the Germans never managed a land invasion of Britain partly thanks to magicians focusing their power.

This was essentially the plot of the Kurtz book that I mentioned.  Last read it in college (it belonged to my roommate at the time.)

[gaggedLouise]

This was essentially the plot of the Kurtz book that I mentioned.  Last read it in college (it belonged to my roommate at the time.)

According to another legend, London (and Britain) can never fall as long s the ravens are still at the Tower of London. To ensure that they stay around, part of their wings have long been clipped so that they can't fly...

Also, during WW2, there were several big guns mounted in bunkers in the cliffs of Dover - essentially upgraded versions of the "Big Bertha" generation: they were able to fire cross the entire strait, but not with the precision of modern artillery. Two of the heaviest were named Winnie (for Churchill) and Pooh - a very English joke...

[stormwyrm]

This was essentially the plot of the Kurtz book that I mentioned.  Last read it in college (it belonged to my roommate at the time.)

I'd first read about that legend in an old book, Phenomena: A Book of Wonders by John Michell and Robert Rickard (1978), which documents paranormal phenomena of all kinds from rains of frogs and blood, UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and other cryptids, curses like those supposedly on the Hope Diamond, etc. There was a chapter about people supposedly able to stop machinery at a glance, and it mentioned that a group of magicians and witches supposedly maintained a shield of this sort during the war years that helped prevent the Germans from conducting a land invasion. I should try to dig it up as what I remember of it makes me think it might inspire some plots.

[Beorning]

I think this legend might relate to Dion Fortune? I've heard it mentioned that - at least according to some people - she has organized spellcasting rituals to protect Britain during the Blitz.

[ShadowFox89]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/25/entertainment/taylor-hawkins-foo-fighters-obit/index.html

Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the Foo Fighters, was found dead last night at age 50. Cause of death has not been released.

Fuck me man. Foo Fighters is one of my favorite bands. Like, I've listened to every song. He seemed like such a nice, energetic dude. It fucking sucks.

[Beorning]

Huh. Awkwardness and violence at the Oscars...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8

[Oniya]

The story behind that smack is that Jada Pinkett Smith has been struggling with alopecia - which is a type of hair loss - since somewhere around 2018.  Most women that have it are particularly sensitive about it, due to the emphasis that society places on appearance.  A bald man is sometimes 'shrug', sometimes 'sexy' (there used to be a group on USENET called alt.sexy.bald.captain) - but no big deal.  A bald/balding woman is 'what happened to her?' or 'why did she do that to herself?'

It had reached a point where Jada decided she had to stop covering it up, and she's somewhat recently gone fully shaved.  article in Prevention magazine.

Chris Rock decided he was gonna make wise-cracks about it.

[ShadowFox89]

I thought one of the rules of comedy and the mob was you leave the wife and children alone?

[Oniya]

I thought one of the rules of comedy and the mob was you leave the wife and children alone?

And this is why I, personally, don't have a problem with Will's response.  Although I do hope that he asked his wife 'Honey, do you want first shot?'

[Humble Scribe]

I think this legend might relate to Dion Fortune? I've heard it mentioned that - at least according to some people - she has organized spellcasting rituals to protect Britain during the Blitz.

Yes, Dion Fortune said she and the Fraternity of Inner Light called upon 'angelic forces' to protect Britain during the Blitz, although lots of British occultists claimed something similar; Gerald Gardner said he and his witches had set up a Cone of Power that repelled Nazis in 1940. I think Aleister Crowley also claimed he had been performing magic rituals to defeat Hitler, and possibly ensorceled Rudilf Hess, but he was strung out on heroin for most of WWII and an inveterate liar when it came to bigging himself up.

[Lexandria]

And this is why I, personally, don't have a problem with Will's response.  Although I do hope that he asked his wife 'Honey, do you want first shot?'

This also isn't the first time Chris Rock used Jada Pinket Smith as the butt of his joke at the Academy Awards.

I do think that instead of storming back to his seat and yelling, he should have stayed on stage and waited until an appropriate apology was given.  More humiliating for the comedian who decided to punch down at and humiliate someone in front of millions of viewers.