Aug 28 2022 - Ask the Oracle

 

As things start up and we "go back to school", the choir that I joined will be getting together.  I'll be finding out if we fall into the category of the "Whooperups" - those "inferior noisy singers."  I haven't heard the choir sing, but that doesn't seem to bother me at all.   If it did concern me, is that a question I might ask the Oracle of Delphi?   That does seem too small to ask the Oracle such a question. I should be asking about conquering other lands and trouncing my enemies.  To find out more, I go look up  the Oracle of Delphi, and the answer list includes  "Your SEO journey starts here".   There's a throw-back.  Perhaps I would have paid attention when we were using Oracle 2.0 in the early 1980s and invested in the stock.  Actually, it is likely we were using the original version, but there wasn't one named 1.0 as Larry Ellison decided no one would want a first generation product.  So 2.0 was the original.   Who would have guessed that the Oracle of Delphi would evolve into  information storage systems today.  It seems a perfect evolution - the answers that were mysterious can all be stored and accessed. However,  the name Oracle did not come from a reference to the Oracle of Delphi. It came from the code-name of a CIA-funded project Larry Ellison, one of the founders,  had worked on while formerly employed by Ampex. I had imagined something more interesting.  Whaat else has the Oracle of Delphi evolved into?  Video games - Oracle on Steam, The Legend of Zelda:  Oracle of Season and Oracle of Ages.  There's a Jewels of the Oracle -another adventure game.  There is Battle Brothers - with a segment named The Oracle (the remains of a temple that once housed an oracle in an age long past...), and so on. So  back to the Oracle of Delphi and the prediction the future: what question could  one ask today?   Take our current day equivalent leaders who might want to know the future.  Would Putin or Trump ask the Oracle such questions on war and conquest that were asked in the past?  Not likely is my answer.

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake makes a good stand-in for the Temple of Apollo where the Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi presided.  Columns and columns - that's the critical feature of an ancient temple. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

May 18 2021 - Lying in Wait

 

It is on our minds, isn't it?  What can we do and not do safely with one vaccination and then with two - completing the vaccination.  The US was all aflutter a few days ago, as the CDC came out with guidance on who can do what, depending on the vaccination status of people.  They have 4 scenarios: fully almost families with young children unvaccinated And of course, they say that the fully vaccinated can return to unmasked, free movement lives.  Supposedly that is 36% of the US population.  How many Americans remain to be vaccinated?  The number given is 40%.   That's a big spread, isn't it? So the reaction to the CDC advice was immediate.  And the four scenarios unravelled into a myriad of variations. USA Today responded with a bit of a blast:  "Most people lie about once a day, and about 25% of people lie about consequential things.  The greater the incentive and the lower the risk, the more likely people are to lie, researchers said.  "That's a major problem in the context of differing rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people" Lee said. It's "very, very likely people are going to lie ... because there’s no verification system and no punishment."  U.S. businesses say they don't intend to ask - Disney attractions are going to stop taking temperatures.  USA Today's analogy?  "You don't use the honour system for selling houses. The higher the stakes, the higher the violations." So it occurred to me to check on how well America fares on honesty compared to other countries.  Most countries are discussing vaccination passports and identification cards - seemingly aware of honesty levels within their populations.   I went on a search to find some statistical data.  I found a research study which produced  a list of the most dishonest countries HERE.  They used two situations for their test, and the results differed by situation. What was consistent over the tests, was that the Chinese came out most dishonest overall, and Great Britain was the most honest.    Our picture today comes from the Sundance Railroad and its theme Old Faith Church seems to go with our topic of the day.

Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Old Faith Church...now here

This is the Sundance Layout, now located in Florida.  This is the old site and the new site of the Old Faith Church.  The sign in the top photo says 'future site of Old Faith Church'.  The bottom picture shows the church - the difference of a few years in our visits to train shows.  You can see the same falls at the lower right in the background.  Facebook Twitter Website