h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I used to study electronics, one of the most useful components was a small integrated circuit called a 555. It was called a timer and could be rigged up to do things like generating square waves with variable mark/space ratio (useful for variable speed windscreen wipers or for sound generators) and for doing something after a fixed delay.

555 is also today the number of Edited Entries with my name on them, between Sub-editing, small contributions and as author.

The 556 was an improved model, and then there are the 1555 and 1556's. So you still have loads of productivity before you "time out".

I remember it as a brand of cigarettes, from when I worked in a tobacconist. People would order it as "three fives".

I was always more of a fan of the 911... Seriously, wow... Here's to the next 500 or so

It's strange how a number can be totally associated with a particular concept for one person, and mean nothing to another person. For example, in Ireland, an ice cream cone with a chocolate flake stuck into it is called a 99. I've no idea why. I always fell foolish asking for "two 99s".

99 is a brilliant brand name - so distinctive and simple.

Its a 99 icecream here too! If It wasn't quite so cold today, I'd now be wanting to find some icecream!
I have all kinds of funny numbers, like 5808, 6p21.3, 120, and... etc., etc., which are all various numbers stuck in my head from way back when I was a student then of course 55, as in T55 (French baguette flour....)

... And there used to be two flakes in the cone

I never saw one with two flakes.

This is generally reckoned to be the best place in Ireland to buy a 99:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=53.29054,-6.127474&spn=0.000013,0.023131&z=16&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=53.290594,-6.127623&panoid=xVI1HorXqowyDmp4ll3UHA&cbp=12,184.23,,0,8.98

Right. That's it! I am so going to have to pop next door to the shop, once the workmen have gone for the day after fitting my new windows, purchase myself a couple of flakes, and then, tonight, release the tub of posh clotted cream icecream from the freezer, and liberate it from its captivity, setting it free, into a bowl, with the afore mentioned flakes, and, perhaps a good amoutn of the bag of hazlenuts lurking in the cupboard Actually, that might go well after I finish off the rest of this leftover dharl from last night, with the flatbreads I plan on making once I can get back into the kitchen err... what were we talking about?

Congratulations on the 555 Entries Gnomon!


I don't really 'see' numbers, which is something I always am envious of those who can think mathematically. - and it's bitterly cold here today, I am resisting going shopping because of it and we've run out of coffee, so you can tell just how nasty the weather is. No ice-cream at all, it's more likely hot soup.

If you look carefully at that GoogleMaps view of the ice cream shop, you can see two people eating cones, and one of them is feeding another cone to her dog!

Some people can get very silly with their dogs... like the other day, when talking to my Father on the phone... they had a roast chicken dinner, and on questioning, the dog also* had a full roast (yes, with all the veg and potatos and batter pudding...), and, then* the dog had trifle for dessert! damn thing, eats better than I do

Ah'll be yo' dawg...

Exactly!: I don't get fed that* well wehn I'm back at my Dads, yet the dog does seemingly all the time I can't even get into my kitchen today...

555 + 1 resistor + 1 capacitor = any clock frequency you fancy. Simples!! Happy days

I just know 555 as the exchange for fictional US phone numbers. In films and TV shows, anytime a phone number is given it's always in the form of 555-1234, or 210-555-4321 if they give an area code. Really old shows would give phone numbers like "KLondike 5-1234" where the first two letters of the word correspond to the first two 5s as displayed on the telephone dials (remember those?). The 555 exchange (the second set of three digits, the area code being the first) was reserved for telephone company utility type numbers and not allocated to customers. Of course, today with the explosion in phone numbers what with pagers, cell phones and even your new cars needing their own numbers, 555 exchanges may actually be attached to valid numbers.

Congratuöations, Gnomon.

I must have taken this photo for you without knowing it.

http://picasaweb.google.com/101944958851242550590/20110804?locked=true#5637015712367869538

Bel, I had a dream in which I was fretting about how we were going to get a photograph of "bloomers" to illustrate the entry for the front page. Then I remembered that bloomers are the same as the German National Costume (which they aren't!) and that I had a photograph of you in this costume (which I don't). Problem solved.

Remind me to look that one up in my "Understanding your Dreams" book this evening...