tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post11514265938507762..comments2024-02-28T05:38:56.763-08:00Comments on Science Digestive: Ambiguous new year!Dean Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15054744507490592341noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-21201156569071165822012-01-01T07:06:12.833-08:002012-01-01T07:06:12.833-08:00@shockwave_plasma Excellent point, and one that is...@shockwave_plasma Excellent point, and one that is doubly embarrassing given the sentence in which it was presented. Remedied now.Dean Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15054744507490592341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-69480536155027257142012-01-01T07:00:18.923-08:002012-01-01T07:00:18.923-08:00In astrological terms, the Earth orbits the sun ev...In astrological terms, the Earth orbits the sun every 365.25 days....You sure the word "Astrological" is the one your thinking of?Shockwave Plasmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09655169759399534885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-5175130174826072332011-12-31T08:34:15.651-08:002011-12-31T08:34:15.651-08:00Well then, strictly speaking, I shouldn't ever...Well then, strictly speaking, I shouldn't ever wish you a happy birthday, happy anniversary, merry christmas (if applicable) or any other event of choice, since doing so at the time of the event is no longer a wish but a statement. <br /><br />I would argue that the wish is for the year to be happy, not the moment, ie, "I hope the year to come shakes out better than that crap we just left behind." It's a bit like saying, "Enjoy this subscription to miso soup of the month." You are not simply supposed to enjoy the moment of its arrival, but also the various and sundry iterations you receive throughout the year. There may be just as much to enjoy in month 12 as there is in month 1.Marniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13515010305975185984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-51958424954988759562011-12-31T04:58:18.689-08:002011-12-31T04:58:18.689-08:00This seems to be another case where everyone agree...This seems to be another case where everyone agrees that a specific phrase means something else. And, as one of my teachers used to say regarding human communication: "A message's meaning is defined by the recipient". So, for the sake of simplicity I shall continue to interpret the traditional "Happy New Year" after midnight as "I wish that this new year will be a happy one for you".<br />Nonetheless, making language-related jokes in an inebriated state on New Year's Eve will certainly help to strengthen ones geeky reputation :)<br />Also - it is still before midnight - a Happy New Year to you!ma_ilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217803652191947421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-27050066985941397682011-12-31T04:44:50.687-08:002011-12-31T04:44:50.687-08:00Brilliant! It's always a pleasure, being out-g...Brilliant! It's always a pleasure, being out-geeked ;)Dean Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15054744507490592341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440286750138199044.post-17817084263423451412011-12-31T04:41:06.632-08:002011-12-31T04:41:06.632-08:00Well, strictly speaking an average year is closer ...Well, strictly speaking an average year is closer to 31556952 seconds long (365.2425 days) and even that doesn't account for the occasional leap-second. But we don't know how many leap seconds we'll need in future years and it's constantly changing anyway so let's go with your number for now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com