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Groundhogged

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z WHATZIT HDRYOU “GROUNDHOG DAY” FANS got it! This is the clock radio on the bedside table of main character Phil (Bill Murray). Every day at 6 a.m., the alarm wakens Phil to the same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday same day as yesterday.

Here are your comments:

FROM PAUL COATES:

I think it’s the clock radio in Bill Murray’s room bedroom from the movie Groundhog Day.

FROM CHRISTOPHER GUNTY (a long but interesting entry):

And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”
And that clock radio is from “Groundhog Day.”

Then you have to ask “How long did Phil spent in his repeating loop? According to Wikipedia, a real long time.

Time loop duration speculations

In relationship to the spiritual interpretations of the films, many have tried to estimate how long Phil supposedly remains trapped in the loop, in real time, with a wide variance in estimated values. During filming, Director Harold Ramis, who was a Buddhist, observed that according to Buddhist doctrine, it takes 10,000 years for a soul to evolve to its next level. Therefore, he said, in a spiritual sense, the entire arc of Groundhog Day spans 10,000 years. Deezen noted that the second draft of the screenplay called for Phil to be cursed to live the time loop for 10,000 years. In the DVD commentary, Ramis estimated a real-time duration of 10 years. Later, Ramis told a reporter, “I think the 10-year estimate is too short. It takes at least 10 years to get good at anything, and allotting for the down time and misguided years he spent, it had to be more like 30 or 40 years.”

In 2005, Rubin said, “Ultimately it became this weird political issue because if you asked the studio, ‘How long was the repetition?’, they’d say, ‘Two weeks’. But the point of the movie to me was that you had to feel you were enduring something that was going on for a long time … For me it had to be—I don’t know. A hundred years. A lifetime.” In 2014, the website WhatCulture combined various time duration assumptions and estimated that Phil spent a total of 12,395 days—just under 34 years—reliving Groundhog Day.

And…Chris correctly answered last week’s question: How many grooves are on each side of a typical LP? The answer: one. Thanks again to Lynne Hummell.

FROM DIANE ERICKSON:

I think the photo of the clock radio is from the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ with Bill Murray.

FROM STEPHEN G:

I believe that is the clock radio that kept weatherman Phil (Conners?) in Groundhog Day limbo of the same name.

FROM MELANIE SKILLMAN:

On the bedside table in Groundhog Day. Wonder how many they destroyed while making the movie?

FROM LYNNE HUMMELL:

That’s got to be the clock from Groundhog Day. I’m saying that because yesterday a friend and I were talking about that movie, and it was top of mind.

I don’t recall the character’s home being so frilly that he would have a crocheted table scarf and a vase of roses on his bedside table, but I’m going with my first thought anyway!

Too easy? Well, yeah…if you’re a “Groundhog Day” fan. My question has nothing to do with the time it took Phil to succeed with Rita (Andie MacDowell), but it’s this: Did he succeed because he finally came around to being a good person, or because he finally was able to figure out every little thing it took to win her over? So, are we seeing a transformation to goodness…or the triumph of a pernicious persistence?

Enough philosophical wondering and meandering. Here’s this week’s Whatzit: Have at it!
GOT AN IDEA for the Whatzit? Email Ed at edh@henningerconsulting.com and we’ll do what we can to stump others!

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Educ8 me…Ed’s say

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06.07.18: Educ8 me…Ed’s say


I’M HAPPY TO SEE three more comments have filtered in in response to the section/page number question from Marcus Fitzsimmons:

Here’s a question I’d like to see if anyone will comment on:
Do you use A8 or 8A?
What is the logic behind the page number system at your paper?
 n
Here they are:
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FROM SAM LUCERO:
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We use the number/letter system: 1A, etc. There are times when we have two sections in the same issue (like our next issue), so the sections will be labeled 1A-8A and 1B-4B. That caused another head-scratcher: Should the A or B section be the first insert? We’ve settled on regular paper, section A and section B in the center.
PS: If I’m not mistaken, some newspaper designer planted the decision for us go with the number/letter approach.
(Sorry, Sam, I think you are mistaken on this one. I don’t recall recommending the number/letter approach to any client.)
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FROM GUS WESCHE:
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We use the 8A style. I like this method when RIPping pages. It is most important to pair the page numbers for proper page imposition. The letter then becomes the checksum for the section. First things first!
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FROM CINDY T:
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We use numbers through the sections – pages 1-10 for example are the first section and pages 11-20 are the second section. Mastheads for the Front page and the Sports section are put on pages 1 and 11 respectively. The template is made that way; and we haven’t changed it.
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Earlier comments are repeated below. And Ed’s say is at bottom.
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FROM DIANA WALKER:
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I have never had more than one section so number the pages with just the numbers 1, 2, 3, etc.
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FROM JOEL:
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Letter first. Always. “8A” would automatically send me looking for sections one through seven.
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FROM STEPHEN

Our paper’s system is really logical. We print Number Letter. We have to save our eps and send to press as Letter Number. Because…reasons.•

FROM RANDY KECK:

We have a split personality on this issue. I had an editor several years ago who set it up as 8A, but I always felt it should be the other way around – section then page number (sort of like genus then species). So weeks, then months, then years go by, and we are still using 8A because that’s how our template is set up!

FROM JULIE HOLCOMBE:

At The Greer Citizen, we use A8, etc. In my mind, it makes sense because it follows an outline of sorts. But in truth, we probably do it that way because that’s the way it’s always been done.

Here’s what I say:

Readers are holding in their hands a section of your newspaper. Within that section is page 8 (or 2…or 5…or 7…or…). My position is to tell them first what section they’re in, then the page number. So: A8.

If your reader were visiting Yankee (or pretty much any other) Stadium, their seat would be numbered section first, then row number, then seat, as:

102 D 4

So, larger area…to smaller…to specific spot.

That’s my logic. I know some of you will disagree. That’s OK. As I like to say, jokingly: “It’s alright for you to be wrong.”

Seriously, thanks for your input on this one. I believe we’ve shown once again that there are different approaches and the one that works for you and your readers…works for you and your readers.