Findings

It's odd to have a post named after your blog. Yet, it's appropriate. Findings has been incorporated and now we are a proper cabal. You will find us opposite the New Clock Tower of the Hill of Dogs.

What is it that Findings will be doing now that it has become a very private and limited company? We'll be doing the same old things — doing research, making ourselves available for consultancy, teaching stuff in unusual ways. But having a proper home with tables and chairs and fellow-travellers — ah, that is nice.

And someday, when I have more time, I shall fill in the missing posts of the last few very busy days.

Sunnandæg

By some infelicity of language, sloppy pronunciation of Old English leads to 'Sunday' sounding a lot like 'Sun-Ending'. And that's the paradox of life — if the sun rises, it must also set.

Recently in Atlantis, the Deputy High Priest was treated to some verbal abuse regarding his lack of desire for the answering of questions posed to him by some young angst-ridden acolyte. Essentially, when asked a question about (that inchoate construct known as) the future, the DHP looked at his presumptive interlocutor and asked him, "What do you think?"

Apparently, an observer (who subsequently was overjoyed to see his f*ck-ridden piece go viral) took offense at this. His main point was that 17-year-olds with little life experience should not be expected to think for themselves in the presence of glory. Similar sentiments were expressed by others: "What on earth are we tithing our loot and lives for, if the DHP himself cannot supply answers?"

Well, in the last Grand Quorum, the citizens of Atlantis made it quite clear that they wanted the hierarchs of the land to engage them more, to ask the people and consult with them over all kinds of things. One would have thought that the sight of the DHP graciously asking this young man for his opinions would have brought joy to the hearts of all (Atlantean) humanity. But no, no...

Leadership is a thankless task. Half the population thinks they're paying you to govern them; half the population thinks they're paying you for the privilege of consulting them in order to govern their living space. I can't help but laugh at it all.

Peak Performance

And that is one satisfied Old Man of the Mountain. I believe I will be invited back to train more of his hashashin brood. A good day, even though it was along that old and dangerous road.

When Libraries Used To Be Helpful

When I was young, 'Ask a Librarian' was one of the ways of gaining knowledge. If you didn't know, you looked it up. If you couldn't find it, you asked your parents. If they didn't know, you went to a library. There, a helpful librarian would point you the right way...

Those days are gone, as Karen Carpenter might have sung. I shall reproduce below a brief conversation I had recently with the National Library of Atlantis, in which I asked an innocent question regarding a matter that had derailed my line of research.

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Are Straits Times/ST Weekly issues for 1888 accessible online in digital format? I don't seem to be able to find any. And if not, why not?

Thank you for using Reference Point. According to the FAQs on the NewspaperAtlan database, the following papers cover the period around 1888: Atlantean Weekly Herald, Straits Eurasian Advocate, Straits Observer (Atlantis), The Straits Times,
Straits Times Overland Journal, and Straits Times Weekly Issue.

Here is how you may access the NewspaperAtlan database.
Link: http://www.nl.atl/ --> Click on [NewspaperAtlan]

Please click on the FAQs link to find out more details on the coverage of this news database.

Hope you find the information useful.

Regards,
Newton Singh
Reference Librarian
Lee Kong Simi Ref Library

National Library Board, Atlantis

Date Created:01 Aug 2010

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No kidding. My point was that I couldn't find them, regardless of what the FAQs said. And how do you think I reached that conclusion about 1888 in particular? By using the abovementioned database, of course! Atlanteans make it a habit to imply that it is your fault when you ask a question about their faults. The original reply is available here. Enjoy.

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Afternote: Comrade NBL made an interesting point. He wondered if the librarian above would pass the Turing Test. I said he probably would, since I couldn't distinguish him from a machine.