21 Comments

This reminds me of the great hoopla that preceded the Year 2000! Another non-event.

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"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."-1984, George Orwell

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We still maintain the Daylight Saving Time anachronism and still complain about the semiannual shifts. If only banks, schools and public institutions would alter their operating hours we wouldn't all have to endure the meaningless and actually hazardous time resets.

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Thank you once again, Heather. All your content is so good to know, even if some of it is horrifying (not today's).

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A farmer I knew used to call DST, discombobulated stupid time

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Life primarily requires cooperation to succeed not competition. Competition is a smaller weaker force that helps with balance but is not capable of sustaining any system. Infact it requires cooperation for any sustainable venues.

Sometimes even humans slam on brakes and fix the messes that their single minded competitive pursuits create.

A fantastic example of this would be a stable Molecules.

I guess you deny any truth in my observation.

I would then feel bad for you as you then have no memory of an elegant system that works most likely for quite awhile.

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The setting of time zones works. What doesn’t work is Daylight Savings Time . The twice yearly time change is disruptive for many. There has been a movement to eliminate this time change. I believe that several states have legislation that eliminates this shift, but it can only happen with Congressional action, as I understand. The legislation proposed would change to what is now Daylight Savings Time. Research and opinion of scientists (maybe) has suggested that this is the wrong choice. Our body clocks/diurnal rhythm is set to standard time DST is an “invention “ that serves no real purpose now. It’s time to go to standard time exclusively.

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I liked your story today about standardizing time. Maybe it’s time the Democratic Party started realizing that standardization didn’t include special interests. Otherwise it’s not standardization.

I liken this as to why Harris lost the election. Not being centered, standardized enough.

• American men are not ready for a woman president, especially if she appears to be weak. She needs to be a fighter, tougher, unafraid, smart. She can be mean when she needs to be. I don’t see that in Harris. She comes off like she’d give in to all the special interests. That’s not for everyone. Not standardization.

• Most males over 40 don’t believe LGBTQ policy should prevail over the majority of the population. We can live with LG but the rest suffer from psychological problems and need special care. Trans children trying to live in the general population is not currently acceptable by the majority, especially straight mothers. Harris’ position on transgender persons was a big turnoff for a majority of the population. Allowing biological men to use women’s restrooms or participate in women’s sports is absurd. Why is such a small percentage of the population dictating how the rest of us live? Not very standardized.

• Latin males will never vote for a woman without a lot more fighting spirit. Harris started out strong in the debate, then turned almost soft. The successful female heads-of-state didn’t back away from bullies. She should’ve called him out more openly and in her advertising.

• She didn’t distance herself from Biden and all his failure’s.

The Democrats lost this election, the Republicans didn’t win it. Same thing happened to Hillary. Now we have to survive another Trump presidency.

I voted for Harris and I’m a life long Republican. My three brothers didn’t.

Randy Eslick

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At least you were on the right side of history, Randy.

Only time will tell who will come out of this experiment unscathed.

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Thank you, Heather!! Now, what shall we do about daylight savings time? 🙄

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Very interesting and a welcome break from the MAGA follies 🥹

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Are there no more text newsletters?

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Judi,

There are two versions. Some subcribers have expressed trouble with the written versions, eyesite or vision impaired, and so Heather answered by adding a verbal version. Here's the link the written, or just click teh transcript icon.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-17-2024

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I will thx.

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Another thing…The last few days Trumps ads showed him with blood on his face, shouting fight, fight. Kamala was in some very elite looking conference room wearing a cashmere jacket softly extolling the virtuous line about being for “everyone”. Really, she didn’t think the less privileged wouldn’t notice. Do the democrats have their heads in a cloud. Terrible strategy on her advertising.

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We need their playbook out there. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/dictatorship-is-choreographed?r=3m1bs

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Thanks for sharing. Btw. "Mein Kampf" means "my fight" or "my struggle" in English.

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An interesting look back which reminds one of the same mentality plaguing humans when 1999 became 2000. We all got to appreciate the changes to this day.

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One wonders if the shift from Julian to Gregorian calendar was also a non-event.

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Far from it. "Gregorian" refers to Pope Gregory XIII, who imposed the change of calendar in 1582. Non-Catholic lands didn't go along with this "Catholic" imposition at first. England held out until 1752. When it finally switched, the populace rioted. "Give us back our eleven days," they demanded. Greece stayed with the Julian calendar until 1923.

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Silly, little humans ... Just like today many folks seem to have strong opinions about things that don't concern them (like straight people react to gay marriage). Religion only seems to make things worse as it appears to always be opposed to changes and individual freedoms.

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