I'm pretty sure MGT rattles some knucle bones in a cup and throws them on a sheet of black velvet to gauge the time
"ohhh", she says "bad times are coming".
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Fri 17 May 2013, 18:23, archived)

sheet of black velvet dustbin lid
( drimble he'd been white, he'd been black, Fri 17 May 2013, 20:13, archived)