Opinion
The Brownsville States-Graphic page
Peeples
4
Thursday, November 4, 2010
By 28th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Clayburn Peeples
Time After Time
By now, unless you’ve been out of the country somewhere, you have probably seen the video clip of an older woman (Or is it a man in drag?) walking down the street in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, talking, apparently, on a cell phone. Nothing unusual about that, except that the film clip was originally made in 1928 at the premier of a Charlie Chaplin movie called The Circus. There were, of course, no cell phones in 1928; they weren’t even demonstrated until 1973, and it wasn’t until the 1990’s that they became small enough to conceal in your hand. It seems a Belfast film maker who is a Charlie Chaplin fan purchased a boxed set of DVD’s of some of Chaplin’s major movies, and one of them had a “short subject” on it about the premier of The Circus, with footage of the crowd outside the theater. Upon watching it, he spotted the woman and became fascinated, unable to figure out how a woman could be using a cell phone in 1928. A few days ago he posted the segment containing the woman on the Internet, and it went “viral”, gathering more than a million and a half hits in just a few days. Most major news organizations picked it up as well. And if you’re one of the millions of people who have seen it, you know that it does, in fact, look as if this older woman is walking down the street talking on a cell phone. It’s a very provocative film clip. But is the woman truly a time traveler, as many people have suggested? An amazing number of people seem to think she is, and that’s pretty interesting, considering that virtually no scientist who studies such things believes time travel to the past is possible. Some argue that the concept
may, and it’s a real big may, be theoretically possible, but as a practical matter, it’s never going to happen. “But that’s thinking,” said a guy I was talking to about it, “based on today’s knowledge. Who knows what advances science will come up with in the future.” And that’s true. History is replete with predictions that grossly underestimate the future progress of technology and science. “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers,” said Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, in 1943. “The telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communications. The device is inherently of no value to us,” declared a Western Union internal memo on 1876. “Airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value,” Marshal Ferdinand Foch, French commander of allied forces, declared during the closing days of World War I, and then there is this; “Everything that can be invented, has been invented.” That’s what Charles Duell, Commissioner, United States Office of Patents, said in 1899. So yes, we don’t know what the future holds, but for the foreseeable future, except in movies and novels, time travel is impossible, and barring a quantum leap in quantum physics, it will be for the next 50 years. At least, that’s what the counter argument holds. “But it’s got to be a cell phone,” my friend continued. “It couldn’t be one of those oldfashioned hearing tubes; they were too big. Plus, you can see her talking on the film. It had to be a cell phone.” I’m sorry, but don’t buy the theory that she is from another era. I wish I could. I’ve been fascinated by the idea of time travel ever since
I read “The Sound of Thunder” in the 1950’s. That’s the Ray Bradbury short story about a time traveling dinosaur hunter who accidently steps off the company’s designated pathway on a trip back to prehistoric times and steps on a butterfly. He thinks it doesn’t matter, but when he returns to the present he finds that the person elected president before his trip has now lost the election instead. This “butterfly effect” caused infinitesimal changes through the ages that altered an election in the 20th Century and who knows what else. I love time traveling fiction, but the truth is, there were small, fairly unobtrusive hearing tubes (They called them ear trumpets.) back then, and some of them were fairly small, hand-held models that even had fashionable coverings that made them look like women’s purses. There’s a picture of a crocodile skin covered one on the Internet that looks something like a wallet you would see a woman carrying today. The “time traveler” could have well been carrying one of them. And there’s an old, old principle of medieval philosophy called Occam’s Razor that admonishes us that when we are given more than one set of possibilities to explain a given phenomenon, the simplest one is usually correct. In other words, simpler answers are more likely to be correct than complex ones, because “nature” prefers simplicity. So, reluctantly, I think the film simply shows an old woman walking down the street holding a fancy, perhaps fashionable, ear trumpet to her ear. Frankly, as I said, I wish I could think otherwise, but I don’t. But I still can’t figure out who she might have been talking to.
The Nicest things I’d never say Okay, not so bad. the Star Wars Prequel This past Halloween found me nestled Let’s try someone a movies wrapped up the story. You gave on the couch, little harder. I think Lady Gaga us closure by delving perusing through The Commercial Appeal should be appreciated into the past. I respect bringing that. while waiting to for Okay and now for adorn the plastic pails something, er um, and bags of numerous different to the pop the final test. charts. Hey MTV I really trick-or-treaters. Okay we were like… Um no, okay I In between the ruffle of sales slipping a bit there. got this. MTV is really great paper and actual Let’s try someone with their…Yeah worthwhile news, my else. Nicholas Cage, I I’ve got nothing. eyes stumbled upon the column section of applaud your bravery Obvisouly I’ve still got for some of the wigs some more practicing Wendi C. Thomas. I’ll admit, I’m not you wear in the movies. to do. In the meantime, really an avid reader What don’t look at me of Thomas’ column like that. I’m being I’d like to encourage but this one in sincere. Besides, like I readers to do the same. Sunday’s paper was have any room to talk If you read something when it comes to hair online that you don’t of particular interest. like, honestly, take The writer chose to choices. To the guy who a moment and find issue an interesting challenge out to her is talking loudly on something nice you readers, requesting his cell phone, thank can say about it and that they pay a you for deeming me say it. Nothing more. If there is a person compliment to worthy to hear your entire conversation. who drives you crazy, someone. By the way, I’m really whether it is work, Sounds easy right? glad Jerry got into acquaintances or Here’s the catch. Readers could not grad school, and like family, shoot them a pay the compliment you I don’t really compliment. Look at it this way, to family, friends, or agree with his choice people they cared for to marry Sophie so you can criticize or castigate or liked. It had to be soon. You’re right, he verbally towards someone you should wait until he someone to the cows come home, and normally wouldn’t graduates. Okay maybe that chances are it’ll make compliment but would was a bit murky. Let’s little difference. But do just the opposite. It’s interesting try to make the next being a little positive could provide better and really shows compliment clear. Hey, George Lucas, results. just how hard it is to compliment someone I think it was neat that versus initially criticize. You compliments cannot contain any “buts” or “however” or “even thoughs.” For example, I couldn’t say something like “even though I personally find Kim Jong an unstable and dangerous loonScott Whaley,Scott Whaley,Vicky Fawcett,Vicky Fawcett, Terry Thompson Terry Thompson Ceree Peace Poston Ceree Peace Poston incapable of running Editor & Publisher Office Manager Sales Manager Editor & Publisher Office Manager Sales ManagerReceptionist Receptionist a country, I do like his glasses.” That doesn’t count. I would encourage everyone to try this Scott Whaley,Scott Whaley, exercise out. Seriously Calvin Carter,Calvin Carter, Matt GarrettMatt GarrettJeff Perry Julie Pickard, Editor & Publisher Editor & Publisher Julie Pickard, take a moment, think Staff WriterStaff WriterStaff WriterStaff Writer Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Sports Writer of someone that well, Calvin Carter, Calvin Carter, I guess you can say, The Brownsville States-Graphic(USPS ISSN 08909938) Rebecca Gray The Brownsville ISSN 08909938) Rebecca Gray States-Graphic(USPS Communications Communications Staff WriterStaff Writer with the newspaper with the newspaper you wouldn’t really is published by Haywood Newspapers isweekly published weekly byCounty Haywood County Newspapers the include the L.L.C., 42 South P.O. Box 59,P.O. Brownsville L.L.C.,Washington, 42 South Washington, Box 59, Brownsvillemust includemust care to sling any kind author’s signature, author’s signature, Sara Clark, Sara Clark, TN 38012. TN 38012. words towards, and address and address and Josh Anderson Josh Anderson Periodicals postage paidpostage at Brownsville, TN. Periodicals paid at Brownsville, TN. telephone number. throw a compliment. Graphic telephone number. Design Graphic Design Send address changes to changes to POSTMASTER: Send address Okay I’ll start off POSTMASTER: All letters toAll theletters to the Brownsville States-Graphic, P.O. Box 59,P.O. Box 59, editor reflecteditor Brownsville States-Graphic, the reflect the TerryThe Thompson TerryThe Thompson easy. opinions of the Brownsville, TN 38012 opinions of the Brownsville, TN 38012 Sales Manager Sales Manager To the people not and are not “A publication of AmericanofHometown Publishing”Publishing”writer and arewriter “A publication American Hometown whom, every morning necessarily those necessarily those Leticia Orozco Leticia Orozco DEADLINES: DEADLINES: on the way to work of the newspaper. of the newspaper. Receptionist Receptionist News, Monday at Monday Noon • Advertising, Monday at Monday Noon at Noon News, at Noon • Advertising, The newspaper Theisnewspaper is choose to go ten miles Classified Advertising, Monday at Noon Classified Advertising, Monday at Noon not responsible not for responsible for Vicky Fawcett, Vicky Fawcett, below the speed limit Society news, Monday Noon at Noon Society news,at Monday unsolicited material. unsolicited material. Office Manager on Highway 14, Office I Manager Legals, Monday Noon at Noon Legals,at Monday We reserve the Weright reserve the right think you’re honestly to reject or shorten to reject or shorten SUBSCRIPTIONS (PER YEAR): SUBSCRIPTIONS (PER YEAR): great for causing meHaywood County letter to the editor. $35;County In-state$35; $42;In-state Out-of-state $49 Haywood $42; Out-of-state $49letter to the editor. to work on the skill of patience. Thank you.
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