What are we talking about today?

I'll get back to theme days once I find a groove of posting regularly. In the meantime, most of my posts are about some variation of books, bikes, buses, or Broadway. Plus bits about writing, nonprofits, and grief from time to time.

This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

30 April 2007

They don't OWN it!!

This is the least important of the promised posts kicking around in my head, so it goes first!

The other day, our office was all in a dither over the need for a clock that has "military time" on it. Apparently, times must be recorded in the 24-hour clock for our studies. Wait, did you see what I did there? I called it the 24-hour clock, instead of "military time". Why, one might ask, would I do such a thing? Because that is what it is called!! Believe it or not, the military does not own the 24-hour clock. In some countries, everyone uses the 24-hour clock. Even civilians! Amazing!

What is more amazing to me about this little scenario is that we do not attribute everything the military uses to the military. For instance, while people often wear camouflaged clothing, I do not believe I have ever heard an adult refer to them as "military clothes", even though the military wears such things. Medals are given as prizes at various academic, athletic, or scouting events, yet never does the announcer say, "And now for the military awards ceremony!" Why? Because the military does not own all medals! They have no copyright over them!! People go to gun shows, not military weapon shows. The military uses computers, yet I never ask my husband to turn off the piece of military technology. And so on.

Now while I proudly claim my title of "stickler" (thank you, Lynne Truss), I am not usually this anal about things. But this one bugged me.

And the time now is? 19:25!

3 comments:

Kar said...

I like the idea of the mili-- 24-hour clock, only since I'm not used to it it requires me doing a lot more math than I'm used to. Or memorizing it I guess.

Computers should have a thing so that, if you leave them on to long, a well-modulated voice would say, "Please turn off the piece of military technology."
It would be cool and scary.

I always leave long comments and enjoyed yours muchly.

P.S. I'm glad I didn't go in as "Jar"! That would be funny, but too close to Jar-Jar. :)

Su said...

LOL!! I made the suggestion at work that we should all (heaven forbid) just learn the 24-hour clock. Said suggestion was met with much lack of enthusiasm.

I would LOVE for my computer to do that!

Re: Jar-Jar; that's what I thought, too.

Kar said...

I'm sure there's a way (to do the computer voice). I don't have the money for what it would probably require but one of these days... Who knows. :)