Slog

News & Arts

The Stranger Suggests

Critics' Best Bets
Music Arts & Food

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

  |  

Friday, December 9, 2011

Books / Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz A Book About a Thousand Things

Posted by on Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 10:32 AM

Since people have been asking about it in the comments threads of previous posts about A Book About a Thousand Things, here it is, the question you remember from childhood: Why are dummy clocks set at 8:18? Click to zoom.

hands_clocks_1.jpg
handsclock2.jpg

 

Comments (6) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
badstone 1
I thought the common thing was to put them at 10:10 so the clock face is "smiling".
Posted by badstone on December 9, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Fnarf 2
I was more interested to learn that Ben Jonson killed a man in a duel and spent time in prison for it, and was also branded on the thumb.

I also learned that 400+ years ago you could write things like "it will make five hundred gentlemen less of the religion with this week, if they carry their understanding about them" and people would at least pretend to have some idea what you meant.
Posted by Fnarf http://www.facebook.com/fnarf on December 9, 2011 at 11:36 AM
thatsnotright 3
I had heard the Lincoln story and answered with that in my mind before reading the image. What a useful book. What does it have to say about computers?
Posted by thatsnotright on December 9, 2011 at 11:57 AM
4
@1 - yeah, that's what I thought too. That's why I always refer to 10:10 as Happy Time.
Posted by JenV on December 9, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Dougsf 5
Now, what's this business about people believing you can't extinguish a lightning fire with water?

I think I need to find a copy for myself.
Posted by Dougsf on December 9, 2011 at 1:45 PM
6
Remember, everyone, that the book was published in the 1940s. Some things have changed since then.

For entertainment purposes only!
Posted by Brendan Kiley on December 9, 2011 at 1:51 PM

Add a comment

Advertisement
 

All contents © Index Newspapers, LLC
1535 11th Ave (Third Floor), Seattle, WA 98122
Contact Info | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Takedown Policy