[LEAPSECS] Michael, brother of Jerry - a parable of timekeeping

[John Cowan]

Rob Seaman scripsit:


> From Jack London, a question:  "Why did you sail with only one  

> chronometer?"

> 

> 	http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/25.41.html#subj10

> 

> If two chronometers are "no better than one", why are three better  

> than two?


Per contra, from an anonymous Irish stationmaster:

An English businessman travelled to Ireland in order to attend to some
important matters.  He stood waiting in the rail station at Ballyhough.

Unfortunately he seemed to have misplaced his pocket watch. Since it
was important that he arrive on time,  he looked for the clock in the
station and noticed that there were two clocks.  The clocks showed times
which disagreed by some six minutes.

When the irate Englishman asked the stationmaster, "Why in bloody 'ell
are there two clocks if they don't tell the same time?", the stationmaster
smiled broadly and replied, "And what would we be wanting with two clocks
if they told the same time?"

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