Earth time, clocks and measuring

The 24 hour clock numbers the hours from midnight to midnight, so 3pm on the 12 hour clock is 1500 hours on the 24 hour. The 24 hour method of telling time is thought of in all those countries which use the 12 hour clock as originating from the military. But the rest of the world uses the 24 hour clock as well as the military everywhere, and it is the international standard notation of time.

The problem for those used to the 12 hour clock is one of mental arithmetic, subtracting 12 from any number more than 12 to get to a number which means something to them as a time. Whether those totally used to the 24 hour clock have similar problems with times given in the 12 hour standard is not something I know about, but I suspect they might; adding twelve to the number to make it meaningful.

There is a world clock online at http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/personal.html where you can set up your own world clock and instantly get times in other parts of the world whenever you need them. This is a useful tool for many people dealing with different continents.

Another useful tool for everyone who has a stake in the future of the planet is http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/WorldClock.php on which an astonishing amount of data on not just time but human births, deaths, population growth, CO2 production, species loss, deforestation, reforestation, temperature [of the Earth] and many more facts are constantly updated in real time, that is, as you watch the figures are changing, some more rapidly than others.

This site is the creation of Peter Russell, a writer, speaker and futurist who wrote The Global Brain and many other illuminating and far-seeing books. He studied mathematics and theoretical physics at Cambridge University, then changed to computer technology and experimental psychology.

The program to display this data world clock is available free for download from the site to install on your PC.

Digital clocks can come in all shapes and sizes, and can be powered by rechargeable batteries, mains electricity, solar panels, ball-bearings, fruit, and even water! One site for a water powered clock is this http://www.ecohamster.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=8887
There's a smaller, and cheaper one here http://www.wickwire.co.uk/mini-water-clock-2291-p.asp
You can get a free desktop water clock to sooth the eyes here http://www.clock-desktop.com/water_clock.shtml and another real water clock here http://www.chipchick.com/2008/02/princess_amazing_water_clock_runs_on_h20_doubles_as_fl...