pfp-disciple

pfp-disciple t1_jebkzjl wrote

Reply to TIL that William Daniels, famous for playing Mr. Feeney on "Boy Meets World," has been married to to actress and fellow Emmy Award winner Bonnie Bartlett since June 30, 1951; at more than 71 years, it is the longest active Hollywood marriage as of today. by arrogant_ambassador

He had an interesting role in Her Alibi as well. I still recall his comment after his girlfriend (acquaintance? It's been a decade or more) had her stomach pumped and said something about the being the biggest thing she's ever had on her mouth. He said "That's not what I've heard." So deadpan and dripping with innuendo.

1

pfp-disciple t1_j6e4h14 wrote

Reply to comment by french-caramele in TIL of the Medieval candle time clock, before electricity, a nail was placed at certain places on the lengths of the candle and people would hear the nail hit the ground when lit, letting them know a certain amount of time had passed. by FlashyBehind

I think I first saw a water clock on the TV show Connections. There was a large, elaborate one that monks (I think?) used. My description above is for the model that my dad and I made. IIRC, it's fairly true to the design we saw on TV.

1

pfp-disciple t1_j68xwsz wrote

Reply to comment by french-caramele in TIL of the Medieval candle time clock, before electricity, a nail was placed at certain places on the lengths of the candle and people would hear the nail hit the ground when lit, letting them know a certain amount of time had passed. by FlashyBehind

There were various sundials (a stick in the ground, the classic "wedge shape". I forget the details, but the sundials had to be calibrated for the location and time of year.

Candles were used quite a bit in various ways. I think there were even some candles made of different materials, so the candle would burn at different rates.

Oil lamps were also used in a similar fashion as candles, although the nail trick wouldn't work. The wick floated on the oil, and the height of the oil was measured to know how much time passed.

Pendulums, without any clock escapement, were used briefly. I think they were imprecise and kind of difficult. IIRC, the distance of the swing was used to measure the time.

Hour glasses are very well known, and quite clever IMO.

The water clock is similar to an hour glass. Water drips from one container into another. The height of water in the second container measures the time. A variation of this is that a float in the second container contains a vertical toothed pole, which turns a geared clock face. A stick on the clock face can be placed to trigger an alarm (knock off a weight wrapped around a spindle, which rings a bell).

43

pfp-disciple t1_j68nwoo wrote

Reply to TIL of the Medieval candle time clock, before electricity, a nail was placed at certain places on the lengths of the candle and people would hear the nail hit the ground when lit, letting them know a certain amount of time had passed. by FlashyBehind

I love the various ways people tracked and measured time. I actually chose the subject for a science fair project in middle school. My favorite is the water clock, with alarm; my dad and I made a model of one with coffee cans. Like I read in a Star Trek book, "primitive does not mean stupid" (said by Checkov, I forget which book).

111