[tz] Propose to improve where to find rules for "Indian/Kerguelen"

Kevin Kenny kkenny2 at nycap.rr.com
Tue May 15 12:26:17 UTC 2012


On 05/15/2012 07:56 AM, Kevin Lyda wrote:
> On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 12:36 PM, David Patte<dpatte at relativedata.com>  wrote:
>> No, America is not a continent. It is two continents. North America, and
>
> This is debatable.
>
> http://blog.cgpgrey.com/what-are-continents/
>
> In the end it's all subjective.  And since it's subjective and it's
> annoying to make these changes, it's a valid position to say that the
> current configuration is subjectively fine.

And it's also politically charged.  There are several countries
that are located in a part of the globe traditionally identified as
Asia that have petitioned at various times to join the EU; I recall
at least one proposal to change such a country to a 'Europe/' identifier
from an 'Asia/' one.

And the 'North_America/South_America' line is equally thorny. Central
American countries face vehement arguments over whether they belong
to North America (by geographical affiliation - placing the dividing
line at the narrowest part of the Isthmus of Panama) or to South America
(by language and culture).

There are no good answers. Stability argues that the best answer is
to say, "the names are what they have been, right or wrong, until and
unless an overwhelming consensus emerges to change them."
It means that we wind up stuck with some past mistakes. It also means
that we don't have to track the political winds that whirl about
continually and return according to their circuits.


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