Interesting way to look at time

September 9, 2003 8:05 AM

The cable clock. This clocks tells time, just like any other clock, but the movement of the hands is hypnotic and beautiful. To physicists, time is defined by quantum mechanics. A photon with energy h (Planck's constant) behaves as though it were oscillating once per second. For Philosphers, time is less concrete, and they love to talk about it. Western society lives by the clock - does it make a difference if this is the kind of clock that you live by? After all, everyone knows that time is money. If you have to be a clock watcher, does it help if the clock is as calming as the Cable Clock is?
posted by kristin (20 comments total)

Oh, and my apologies, for being unable to work in a reference to the California Recall, the War in Iraq, the War on Terror, Donald Rumsfield, or [insert political party of choice]-basing in my front page post!
posted by kristin at 8:07 AM on September 9, 2003

I'm wondering what kind of physical properties would be required for the ingredients of a real Cable Clock. That's just the kind of thing that I could see in my office, periodically calming me as I peruse politically charged Metafilter discussions.
posted by thanotopsis at 8:13 AM on September 9, 2003

George W. Bush is running out of time.

(There ya go!)
posted by rushmc at 8:13 AM on September 9, 2003

I imagine we will now get a lot of posted comments punning on or about time. Once upon a time (ugh), time was Seasons (farming); then hourly (church chimes; then minutes; and now, seconds...I wasted time and now time wastes me--from Richard II, Shake. or, if you prefer: Time's on my side--Rolling Stones.
posted by Postroad at 8:21 AM on September 9, 2003

I realized recently that I've been wearing a calculator in the form of a casio databank watch for over half my life...
posted by woil at 8:22 AM on September 9, 2003

Calming? It made me seasick. To each his own. I was hoping for something a little more radical than a standard clock face with wiggily arms. Like a thick cable slowly unraveling or fraying over time. Or cables hanging down casting shadows. Something like this perhaps
posted by Outlawyr at 8:30 AM on September 9, 2003

I always want to be inspired by the 10,000 Year Clock. I never am.
posted by willnot at 8:37 AM on September 9, 2003

This clock makes me glad I'm not a helminthophobiac. There's lots of other great stuff on Andre's site. Including a screensaver module of the clock. Particularly Tree.
posted by pedantic at 8:40 AM on September 9, 2003

Calming? It made me seasick. To each his own.

I didn't think it very calm either. More creepy, like a sidewinder crawling across the desert. Anyway, of all the clocks discussed here (over time), I still like this one the best
posted by LeLiLo at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2003

Anyone heard of New Earth Time? It's something along the lines of Swatch time but seems more well thought-out and practical. They offer downloadable clocks for your desktop or website. (Warning: mystery-meat navigation.)
posted by Tubes at 9:14 AM on September 9, 2003

And I almost forgot the binary clock. (Other examples exist. See Google.)
posted by Tubes at 9:18 AM on September 9, 2003

it's creepy, yeah.
posted by Foosnark at 9:30 AM on September 9, 2003

yeah, i found it rather repulsive myself. neat idea however.
posted by dobbs at 9:39 AM on September 9, 2003

I think the handwriting clock is more hypnotic, but slightly less calming..
posted by hammurderer at 9:43 AM on September 9, 2003

The cable clock is a lot more interesting when you put it in the background when tabbed-browsing (at least on Safari/ Mac), because it pauses. When you switch back to it it will jump to the current time and the neato 'cable' physics will go all wonky.
posted by maniactown at 10:27 AM on September 9, 2003

Oh, and my apologies, for being unable to work in a reference to the California Recall, the War in Iraq, the War on Terror, Donald Rumsfield, or [insert political party of choice]-basing in my front page post!

The Doomsday Clock may have fit in very nicely for some or all of those.
posted by fredosan at 10:32 AM on September 9, 2003

The hand writing clock is pretty cool but its far from calming with the frenzied scratching and scribbling.

I like the undulation of the cable clock.

And Kristin, thanks for not allowing the pervasive anti-governmentness to invade your post! Leave that to the commenting masses.
posted by fenriq at 11:14 AM on September 9, 2003

heh.

for some reason i have 'three little birds' going through my head looking at that mellow clock and i urge you all to sing it with me...
posted by sgt.serenity at 12:02 PM on September 9, 2003

i want to be able to shake my laptop and have the cable clock squiggle around :D one day!
posted by kliuless at 5:58 PM on September 9, 2003

I still like the human clock.
posted by mdn at 6:42 PM on September 9, 2003