2ce as Hot

In Celsius, it is currently twice as hot where I am as it is where Todd is.

It is 20c here.
It is 40c there.

I note, also, that this math fails in F:

It is 68 here.
It is 104 there.

And once again, I see the complete connection between the Metric system and logic. And I recognise that while one can “feel” the difference between 68 and 104, it’s interesting that 40 is twice as hot as 20 and that makes far more sense than “it’s 36 degrees warmer”. The latter is something one can feel, of course - it’s hotter. But it’s a purely arbitrary, non-natural measurement.

100 divisions between the boiling and freezing point of water make far more sense.

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Dragon Monkey Ramble

While I was watching Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, I became obsessed with the Chinese name of one character - Bia Huli: the Jade Fox. I thought it might be nice to present a friend of mine (who rather likes foxes) with the Chinese Character for Fox. My first discovery was that the “Huli Jing” are all the mischievous fairy spirits of Chinese myths. (Although modern understandings and usage of the “huli jing” are not always polite.) The Chinese word “Huli” - often for “fox” - seems to have a suffix on it. The actual word for fox is “Hu”. This amused me.

So I went looking for the Character “Hu”, which is some how connected to the White Tiger (we’re back at the movie for a moment) and that led me to the discovery that Chinese Mythological Cosmology has, like western Wicca and Ceremonial Magick, a four-animal/ colour/ element pattern as well (I expected it to be five, since I know of the five elements of Taoism). And from there it was a quick link to Chinese Astrology.

Which isn’t really astrology: there are not signs in the heavens assigned to each of the 12 Animals of the cycle. Rather they are perceived as a sort of phase or stage through which all things pass. But I was surprised to learn that there are not only Year signs, but also monthly signs and even hourly signs. That one is what people see in you, the second is what motivates you and the third is called the “secret sign”, revealing your true, inner nature.

It was amusing for me to think of all those place mats in Asian eateries that have the “year sign” which is only what “others see in you”. And to think, of all the people saying, “It says I’m pompous?” And all the friends say, “yes.” And the response is suddenly, “I can be pompous because my Chinese Astrology says I am.” An instant confusion of the inner and outer personas on the part of the person, himself!

So, yes, I was born in a Dragon year. But in a Monkey Month… and, I’m sure it will come as no surprise, in a Rabbit Hour.

Interesting…

A radio episode of Gunsmoke, from October 1953, It was sponsored by Post Toasties™ which were tagged as the “heap good corn flake.” Made me giggle.

The Biblical canon

It’s easy to pin the Canon on Constantine (and/or the various early councils), especially if you refuse to accept the idea of “Development”. While I blame the triumph of the Roman State over the Church for many things - doctrine is not, per se, part of the package. We were discussing the development of the Christian Canon at Church this week. And, since none of us had the internet to hand, we didn’t look up the Wiki Article on the Development of the Christian Biblical canon. If we had, there wouldn’t be much blame to pin…

Thus, from the fourth century, there existed unanimity in the West concerning the New Testament canon (as it is today), and by the fifth century the Eastern Church, with a few exceptions, had come to accept the Book of Revelation and thus had come into harmony on the matter of the canon. However, the official finalization of the canon was not made until the Council of Trent of 1546 for Roman Catholicism, the Thirty-Nine Articles of 1563 for the Church of England, the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1647 for Calvinism, and the Synod of Jerusalem of 1672 for the Greek Orthodox.

What amuses me tonight is that last phrase noting that the “Synod of Jerusalem of 1672″ provided the canon of Scripture for the Greek Church. That’s interesting: for since - as every true convert knows - only an council, summoned by an divinely-anointed emperor and validated by a second council (also so summoned), can have any real, lasting authority in Orthodoxy. That means the canon is still open. Clearly, I’m citing the wiki and not an Œcumenical Council. But it’s still an amusing idea.

An American Problem?

One thing that came up often when I was Orthodox was the question of the possibility (at all) of Americans being Christians because of our fetish for individualism.

This has been coming up again in my classes on Living the Question because most of us see how to be community (even if we fail) but for some Christianity is this solitary thing they have to “do” to “get saved”. (I just heard, tonight, Fr Tom Hopko say, “the only thing you can do alone is get into Hell”.)

This topic continues in a surprising and totally secular place: Radiolab » Individualism or Interdependence:

Students raised in the US scored lower than students brought up in China

Conveniently, the first comment out of the box is one of those “us vs them” tolls that makes the article’s point rather well.

$4 A Gallon is Nothing At All…

Have we reached yet, or passed “Peak Oil”? Over at the Cutting Edge, a US Gov Report Lifts Lid on Peak Oil Supply Shock:

The report finds that the majority of expert projections expect the peak to occur without warning any time between now and 2040. Most disturbingly, the report emphasises that the US federal government has failed to explore any preventive or mitigating measures to tackle the problem and associated implications of peak oil, even though, as the report warns, “an imminent peak and sharp decline in oil production could have severe consequences, including a worldwide recession.”

St Alban and St Sergius Fellowship Conference

This conference At St Vladimir’s looks very interesting. I notice that while there are a lot of mainstream Orthodox, there is only two Episcopalians - and not very mainstream at that - both semi-Schismatic, I think.

It seems a curious melange of Orthodox, however: liberals and conservative.

Oddly for an OCA Seminary, clearly the institutional Orthodox are taking sides in the Anglican debate: even if individual Orthodox (as well as certain monks) are hanging out with different Episcopalians. I wonder to whom this conference is to be seen as pandering.

Hand-made “Seconds”?

Attention, Fellow Kitchen Nerds:

My favourite source for Middle Eastern food geekery is having a sale on tagines with “cosmetic defects”.

Small and Light

While Green life may be undergoing a revision… I LOVE this small house. No: I don’t think it would work to well in B’lo. But Warmer Climes…

Standing Stone

Google Sightseeing blog takes us to Petra, an ancient city hewn from the living rock. It’s on my list of “things I want to see if I win lotto.” GoogleEarth will have to do for now!