Temporal Structures

This document is a journal for my Spring '99 Temporal Structures course at UC Berkeley.

 

My motto tends to be:

"Life is easy to chronicle,
but bewildering to practice..."

-- E. M. Forster
A Room With A View

I keep a Daily Diary online.

Here are my thoughts and observations, with regards to the class, in ascending chronological order:

Wednesday: 10 March 99

Quote of the day: 

After all, what is your hosts' purpose in having a party?  Surely not
for you to enjoy yourself; if that were their sole purpose, they'd have
simply sent champagne and women over to your place by taxi.
                -- P. J. O'Rourke

Wednesday: 3 March 99

I called the Palm Springs Public Library this morning at 9:12 am. I got transfered to Nancy Robinson at extension 241. She looked up Alvin in the database and said that there was no record of an obituary for him. I am disappointed -- mostly because I was so proud of my sleuth work.

Having called and gotten nowhere, I went to switchboard.com and searched for the last name in Palm Desert, CA. That didn't help, so I searched for the last name in all of California. I found 95 people, and the following looked promissing:

Arkin, Carol + George
1008 Saint Lucia Cir,
Palm Springs, CA 92264-8555
(760)327-0630

a quote for today:

All animals except Man know that the ultimate of life is to enjoy it.

-- Samuel Butler

Tuesday: 2 March 99

I heard back from the Desert Sun and they gave me the following info: 

The Palm Springs Library Center has microfiche for the
newspaper beginning in 1934, partial indexing from 1983 to 1987 and
complete indexing from 1987 to the present.  The Library indexes local
stories, birth announcements, death announcements, and featured wedding
announcements. Advertisements and newswire articles are NOT indexed.

Searches of The Desert Sun can be conducted in-person or by calling
the public library's Reference Room.

Contact the library at:

The Palm Springs Library Center
300. S Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 323-8294
http://www.ci.palm-springs.ca.us/Library/home.html

So I will be calling the library's reference room tomorrow.   i can't believe that I can do this over the phone!

Monday: 1 March 99

I spent a good portion of today e-mailing about to gather genealogical reserch. I contacted the Social Security Office [800/772-1213] for info on what I could get from them about a deceased relative. They said you can get a copy of the social security application, which has info on parents, etc. That will be coming in the mail in a few days.

My current mystery [well, I have many lines of research going on simultaneouly, but the one I was working on today] is to track down my great grandfather (my father's mother's father) Bernard's brother's son. Bernard had five siblings, and I know descendents in two of the lines. Louis, one of the brothers, had a son named Alvin Arkin, born 23 Nov 1920, died 5 May 1989 in Palm Desert, CA. His soc. sec. # is 095-14-5174. I know that he had a son, and someone got the benefits from his death. I tried to locate a Palm Desert newspaper online, in the off chance that I could get obituary information. Palm Desert's official homepage is at http://www.palm-desert.org/. The Palm Desert Yellow Pages were not at all helpful. I e-mail the Visitor Center asking for info on local newspapers, and I will probaly try calling them tomorrow:
Palm Desert Visitor Info Center: 800-873-2428

City of Palm Desert
73-510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert 92260
(760) 346-0611
from: http://ns2.dis.net/cf/palmdesert/comservices.cfm

Further searches on Altavista located the Desert Sun newspaper (http://www.desert-sun.com/). Time to send some inquiring e-mails. I hope I get ahold of someone nice!

Amazingly legalistic sites I came across:

"The City of Palm Desert is neither responsible nor liable for any viruses or other contamination of viewers systems, nor for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions arising out of use of the site, or with respect to the material contained on the site, including without limitation, any material posted on the site. This site and all materials contained on it are distributed and transmitted as is without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation, warranties of title or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The City of Palm Desert is not responsible for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages that may arise from the use of or the inability to use, the site and/or the materials contained on the site, whether the materials contained on the site are provided by the City of Palm Desert or a third party."
From http://www.palm-desert.org/html/disclaimer.html

"Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service..."
From http://www.desert-sun.com/about/contact.html

"Terms of Service Copyright 1998 The Desert Sun. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated May 12, 1998). Terms of Service Agreement 1. General. Welcome to Desert Sun Online, Homes In Palm Springs, Jobs in Palm Springs, and Desert Sun Classifieds. As part of our service, Desert Sun Online, Jobs in Palm Springs, Homes In Palm Springs, and Desert Sun Classifieds agrees to provide you with information and other computer services subject to the terms of this Terms of Service agreement. Upon notice published through the service, The Desert Sun may amend or modify these Terms of Service at any time. You agree to use the service in accordance with the Terms of Service. 2. Rights These sites are owned and operated by The Desert Sun and contain material which is derived in whole or in part from The Desert Sun newspaper, Next Magazine, Cathedral City Post, Desert Sentinel, Indio Post, Palm Desert Post and other sources which is protected by international copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute in any way any material from this site including code and software. You may download material from this site for your personal, non-commercial use only, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices. 3. License By posting messages, uploading files, inputting data, or engaging in any other form of communication through this service, you are granting The Desert Sun a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive, unrestricted, worldwide license to: Use, copy, sub-license, adapt, transmit, publicly perform or display any such communication. Sub-license to third parties the unrestricted right to exercise any of the foregoing rights granted with respect to the communication. The foregoing grants shall include the right to exploit any proprietary rights in such communication, including but not limited to rights under copyright, trademark, servicemark or patent laws under any relevant jurisdiction. 4. Limitation of liability Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall The Desert Sun, its subsidiary and parent companies or affiliates be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, The Desert Sun materials. You specifically acknowledge and agree that Desert Sun is not liable for any defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of any user. If you are dissatisfied with any The Desert Sun material, or with any of Desert Sun's terms and conditions, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using Desert Sun Online. In addition, The Desert Sun may allow you to purchase different types of products and services online that are provided by third parties. The Desert Sun is not responsible for the quality, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or any other aspect of these products and services. You release The Desert Sun and its affiliates from any damages that you incur, and agree not to assert any claims against them, arising from your use of these products or services. 5. Bulletin boards, Forums, Discussion Groups and Chat Rooms. This service may include bulletin boards, forums, discussion groups and/ or chat rooms ("bulletin boards") which allow feedback to Desert Sun Online, Jobs in Palm Springs, Homes In Palm Springs, and Desert Sun Classifieds and/or real-time interaction between users. The Desert Sun does not control the messages, information or files delivered to bulletin boards. It is a condition of your use of the bulletin boards and this Web site that you do not: Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the bulletin boards. Post or transmit any unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane or indecent information of any kind, including without limitation any transmissions constituting or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any local, state, national or international law. Post or transmit any information, software or other material which violates or infringes upon the rights of others, including material which is an invasion of privacy or publicity rights or which is protected by copyright, trademark or other proprietary right, or derivative works with respect thereto, without first obtaining permission from the owner or right holder. Post or transmit any information, software or other material which contains a virus or other harmful component. Post, transmit or in any way exploit any information, software or other material for commercial purposes, or which contains advertising. You understand that The Desert Sun has no obligation to monitor the bulletin boards. However, The Desert Sun reserves the right at all times to disclose any information as necessary to satisfy any law, regulation or governmental request, or to refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, that in The Desert Sun's sole discretion are objectionable or in violation of these terms and conditions. 6. Privacy Unless the user informs us otherwise, The Desert Sun reserves the right to use and to disclose to third party vendors user information (e.g. user name and e-mail address) for purposes such as providing users with information about products and services. If the user does not wish to be included in such uses, the user must send an e-mail or a letter requesting to be taken off any lists of information that may be used for these purposes or given or sold to third party vendors to: E-Mail Lori Edwards, Online Project Manager or mail request to: The Desert Sun Attn. Lori Edwards 750 N. Gene Autry Trail Palm Springs, CA 92262 7. Disclaimer Desert Sun Online, Jobs in Palm Springs, Homes In Palm Springs, and Desert Sun Classifieds has provided links and pointers to Internet sites maintained by third parties. Neither The Desert Sun, its parent or subsidiary companies nor their affiliates operate or control in any respect any information, products or services on these third-party sites. The materials in this site and the third-party sites are provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind either expressed or implied. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, The Desert Sun disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The Desert Sun does not warrant that the functions contained in the materials will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site, including bulletin boards, or the server that makes it available, are free of viruses or other harmful components. The Desert Sun does not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of the materials in this site or in third-party sites in terms of their correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or otherwise. You (and not The Desert Sun) assume the entire cost of all necessary maintenance, repair or correction. 8. Termination. This agreement is effective until terminated by The Desert Sun, at any time without notice. In the event of termination, you are no longer authorized to access the bulletin boards and the restrictions imposed on you with respect to material downloaded from the bulletin boards, the disclaimers and limitations of liabilities set forth in this agreement, shall survive. 9. Other This Terms of Service Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between The Desert Sun and you with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersedes all previous and contemporaneous agreements, proposals and communications, written or oral.The Desert Sun may amend or modify this Terms of Service Agreement or impose new conditions at any time. Such amendments and modifications shall be effective immediately upon notice thereof which may be given by means including, but not limited to, posting on Desert Sun Online. Any use of the service by you after such notice shall be deemed to constitute acceptance by you of such amendments, modifications or new conditions. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any principles or conflicts of law. If any provision of this agreement shall be unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions."
From http://www.desert-sun.com/tos.html

Friday: 26 Feb 99

Marshall McLuan said, "Art is anything you can get away with." I would love to explore what I can get away with in the name of art. I had an idea for a performance art piece. I would go out to eat all over the city, and whenever I received candy with the bill, I would take it and leave different (better) candy in its place.

Monday: 15 Feb 99

Camera obscura links:

Thursday: 21 Jan 99

          We have no class on Tuesday and our first assignment is due Thursday. We have to write on a natural phenomenon. Of course, my first instincts were towards horticulture, but now I am leaning towards the moon. Perhaps I will make observations on the farmer's almanac.
          This is a bizarrely eirie coincidence, but I happen to be reading a novel now about a man who becomes the incarnation of time. It is called Bearing an Hourglass (by Piers Anthony) and I began it over winter break. It is a work of fiction which my boyfriend read while in junior high school. I believe it is intended as a young adult novel, but there is nothing on the book which reveals it as such. Last year I began a non-fiction work called Kepping Watch, which is on the history of time. I have to retrieve that book from LA. I find it bizarre that there is no other term for the category of non-fiction besides that which means the absence of fiction (it is odd to me because it is a category characterized by lack).
          I absolutely loved the film piece we saw in class today: Chronos. I know there is another work which is similar -- a symphony accompanied by sped up images of people and city life. I'll have to find the reference to that film which I wrote down.

Tuesday: 19 Jan 99

          I got excited about the course during Shawn's decription [Shawn is the prof]. I looked out the window and became fixated on the trees. Trees are the embodiment of time to me. Not only does it take time to grow them from seeds, but they mark the years with their rings. Note to self: find out why trees make rings. I seem to recall it has something to do with shrinkage at winter time.
          Plants are the first thing that pop into my mind when I think of art projects relating to time. Perhaps my growing friends are too easy for me. They are singing their green song all about me right now.