# online Portrait Gallery updates **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 13, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358 "2020-01-13T17:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/1 "2020-01-13T17:00:49Z")
Hello old chums. Our friendly TubaDiva sent me an email asking me what’s up with the picture pages. As you may have noticed I haven’t been hanging around the message board of late. But there are some updates that should be done with the picture pages, and I will try to do it myself or of course someone could take it over. It will take me a while because the program I wrote to automatically generate the HTML pages (the online picture pages are straight HTML) depends on a MySQL database on my machine that hasn’t been restarted since 2012 and I have to figure out how to start the DB (getting errors right now) and/or upgrade it to current mySQL and/or move the data into another relational DB like PostGres. Believe it or not, I still have a bunch of emails in my inbox with requests to changes to the page, and once I get the database running I will try to go through those. But **it will take time** so don’t expect anything right away. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/2 "2020-01-13T17:06:26Z")
Very cool of you to take this on. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/3 "2020-01-13T17:09:48Z")
Welcome back. I think I’ll send you a picture once you get caught up. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/4 "2020-01-13T18:18:31Z")
WELCOME BACK!!! I like the two I have but may add a third/newer at some point if its permitted. I haven’t looked at it for a month or two but I still find myself checking back on it for familiar faces and memories. PS – for ones that we know have passed, any thoughts of a Memorial section or status? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/5 "2020-01-13T19:26:55Z")
Thanks for doing this. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/6 "2020-01-13T19:43:53Z")
I’m glad to hear you’re okay! I may even send a picture later on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/7 "2020-01-13T19:56:21Z")
I was fiddlin’ around the Dope and saw the picture pages, just 2 days ago. I’m beginning to think I have precognitive powers, or something.:eek: I’ll send a pic later when you’re all caught up. (I predict that will be 6 weeks from now, dang I’m good!!) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/8 "2020-01-13T20:18:54Z")
I, for one, am just tickled to see that Arnold and TubaDiva are well and involved in life. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/9 "2020-01-13T20:34:41Z")
I remember you! Arnold Wrinkled Weed! Or something like that! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/10 "2020-01-13T20:35:04Z")
TD I wasn’t worried about but I was getting a little frightened for **Arnold**. I was afraid he had been hijacked into some super-secret government conspiracy to overthrow muntiple enemies of the United States. With a portrait gallery. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/11 "2020-01-13T20:56:15Z")
No I’m still alive. Hi guys! So what have been missing for the past few years? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/12 "2020-01-13T21:03:56Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > No I’m still alive. Hi guys! So what have been missing for the past few years? Not very many meals by the looks of you. :p;) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/13 "2020-01-13T21:04:52Z")
Good to see you again, **Arnold**! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/14 "2020-01-13T22:16:08Z")
You missed me(:)). Nice to meet you, Arnold. Can’t wait to see new pics. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/15 "2020-01-13T22:40:15Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > … > So what have been missing for the past few years? It was the best of times it was the worst of times. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/16 "2020-01-13T23:42:31Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > No I’m still alive. Hi guys! So what have been missing for the past few years? We solved world hunger and war but ignorance still abounds. In other words SOD-DD same old Dope - different days ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/17 "2020-01-14T01:14:35Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > No I’m still alive. Hi guys! So what have been missing for the past few years? " Who’s the President? " " Ronald Reagan. " - THE ACTOR??? \* 😃 Not much. The usual. Oh- Cecil left. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/18 "2020-01-14T03:47:25Z")
Cecil is not gone. He’s lurking. He’s still a board member. Where ever he is hiding I bet they have internet service. I just know he wants to know me. 'Cause why wouldn’t he? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/19 "2020-01-14T04:31:54Z")
Woah. Figured you’d long since rode off into the sunset. I’ll send you mine, when you get caught up. Which will probably be about when I figure out how to upload a photo to the interwebz. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358/20 "2020-01-14T06:10:32Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Cecil is not gone. He’s lurking. He’s still a board member. Where ever he is hiding I bet they have internet service. I just know he wants to know me. 'Cause why wouldn’t he? 😃 **Beck** , let me craft a reply that suits your post: > [@](#): > > Dear **Straight Dope** : I am something-something years old. Some of my online friends say there is no Cecil Adams. Mr. Dawrek says, ‘If you see it on The SDMB it is so.’ Please tell me the truth; is there a Cecil Adams? > > **Beck Dawrek** > Arkansas > [@](#): > > **Beck** , your online friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their own minds. All minds, **Beck** , whether they be adults’ or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours a human is a mere insect, an ant, in his or her intellect, as compared with the boundless world, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. > > Yes, **Beck** , there is a Cecil Adams. He exists as certainly as questions and answers and just plain curiosity exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Cecil Adams. It would be as ignorant and dreary as if there were no **Becks**. There would be no childlike fun in Thread Games, no poetry or music or movies in Cafe Society, no Dopers seeking answers in General Questions, and no serious discussions of the events of the day in Great Debates, to make tolerable this existence. We would have no knowledge, except that which comes from our own sense and sight and experience. The eternal light with which others’ answers and experiences fill the world and inform us would be extinguished. > > Not believe in Cecil Adams! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your husband to hire men to watch all the computers in Chicago to catch Cecil Adams, but even if they did not see Cecil Adams composing a reply to a question, what would that prove? Nobody sees Cecil Adams, but that is no sign that there is no Cecil Adams. The most real things in the world are those that nobody can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. > > You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only discussions about weather, faith, sports, fancy, politics, poetry, movies, love, cats, romance, cars, and so many other topics, can fight ignorance; and in doing so, can push aside that curtain in order to view and picture the supernal knowledge and learning beyond. Is it all real? Ah, **Beck** , in all this world there is nothing else so real and abiding as the Straight Dope that Cecil built. > > No Cecil Adams! Thank goodness he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, **Beck** , nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to inform the minds of curious people who are proud to call themselves Dopers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-portrait-gallery-updates/846358.md?page=2)