Comments on: Maybe It’s Time To Get Rid of Time Zones http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/ General interest observations and true web-log. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:49:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SkyKing http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-1589346 SkyKing Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:44:59 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-1589346 Well, many good points raised above. D.S.T. has now been legislated to end AFTER Halloween. Thanks to the likes of Representative Markey of Mass., and Representative Upton of Michigan. Funny, they both live in the same time zone (Eastern), but their motivation to extend DST to 8 months a year from the original 6 months a year..represents flawed reasoning to me. Western Michigan should be on Central Time by the way, the state has no business being on Eastern. But I digress. The main purpose of extending DST to 8 months was to help conserve energy, according these legislators. Lights wouldn't turn on until an hour later in the evening, so the reasoning goes. However, with the advent of CFL's and now LED lighting...and the planned phase-out of incandescent lighting, this argument doesn't cut it. Extended daylight into the evening helps commerce. Golf courses and driving ranges. Shopping at the malls. After school sport activities. The four U.S. time zones need to be re-aligned. And, DST should not be introduced until the first Saturday in May after the first Sunday in May. Standard Time should return on the final Saturday in September. Otherwise, a more permanent solution is to keep our clocks on Standard Time all year round + a half hour. This solution would only work if the western borders of our time zones are moved east by about 125 nautical miles or further. This would stop the unusually late sunrises experienced in October and March, and also trim back post 9.30pm sunsets in states such as western Michigan, western N.D. and the like. The shifting of DST to 8 months a year was a mistake. Let's go back to 5 months of D.S.T., and retain Standard time to a 7 month schedule. Well, many good points raised above. D.S.T. has now been legislated to end AFTER Halloween. Thanks to the likes of Representative Markey of Mass., and Representative Upton of Michigan. Funny, they both live in the same time zone (Eastern), but their motivation to extend DST to 8 months a year from the original 6 months a year..represents flawed reasoning to me. Western Michigan should be on Central Time by the way, the state has no business being on Eastern. But I digress. The main purpose of extending DST to 8 months was to help conserve energy, according these legislators. Lights wouldn’t turn on until an hour later in the evening, so the reasoning goes. However, with the advent of CFL’s and now LED lighting…and the planned phase-out of incandescent lighting, this argument doesn’t cut it. Extended daylight into the evening helps commerce. Golf courses and driving ranges. Shopping at the malls. After school sport activities. The four U.S. time zones need to be re-aligned. And, DST should not be introduced until the first Saturday in May after the first Sunday in May.
Standard Time should return on the final Saturday in September. Otherwise, a more permanent solution is to keep our clocks on Standard Time all year round + a half hour. This solution would only work if the western borders of our time zones are moved east by about 125 nautical miles or further. This would stop the unusually late sunrises experienced in October and March, and also trim back post 9.30pm sunsets in states such as western Michigan, western N.D. and the like. The shifting of DST to 8 months a year was a mistake. Let’s go back to 5 months of D.S.T., and retain Standard time to a 7 month schedule.

]]> By: Dr. Gonzo http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-349644 Dr. Gonzo Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:49:34 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-349644 China does indeed have one time zone. Geographically, time is a localized matter. "Noon" is when the sun is overhead. DST is stupid. The entire idea of time zones was (and should be) that the center of the zone jibes with local noon at noon. Since the earth is 360 degrees around, dividing by 24 hours gives us zones 15 degrees wide. That made perfect sense; your clock time and locally apparant time were, no matter where you lived (other than arctic circles) within 30 minutes of each other. Then GOVERNMENTS had to wade in and fuck everything up. The funny ones are the backwards third world places that didn't even observe a one-hour interval and made their time zones 30 minute offsets. I think India is one such toilet. Many wristwatches that track multiple time zones can't even digest a 30 minute offset. China does indeed have one time zone.

Geographically, time is a localized matter. “Noon” is when the sun is overhead.

DST is stupid. The entire idea of time zones was (and should be) that the center of the zone jibes with local noon at noon. Since the earth is 360 degrees around, dividing by 24 hours gives us zones 15 degrees wide. That made perfect sense; your clock time and locally apparant time were, no matter where you lived (other than arctic circles) within 30 minutes of each other.

Then GOVERNMENTS had to wade in and fuck everything up. The funny ones are the backwards third world places that didn’t even observe a one-hour interval and made their time zones 30 minute offsets. I think India is one such toilet. Many wristwatches that track multiple time zones can’t even digest a 30 minute offset.

]]> By: tallwookie http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348804 tallwookie Tue, 31 Oct 2006 03:04:52 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348804 I believe it was the fact that the railroad system was so influential/critical to the economy at the time when time zones were created - but the economy and the majority of the population doesnt directly rely on the railroad system for basic transportation or economical support - so timezones are a big waste of time. The political parties should make THAT the issue to argue about, something that actually affects the majority of the populous. I believe it was the fact that the railroad system was so influential/critical to the economy at the time when time zones were created – but the economy and the majority of the population doesnt directly rely on the railroad system for basic transportation or economical support – so timezones are a big waste of time.

The political parties should make THAT the issue to argue about, something that actually affects the majority of the populous.

]]> By: Calin http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348754 Calin Tue, 31 Oct 2006 02:10:25 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348754 <i>What the hell are you using??? DOS?</i> I just read an article that stated around 64% of U.S. businesses still have COBOL systems running their operations. So, a system that doesn't automatically change for DST or set to GMT wouldn't surprise me in the least. What the hell are you using??? DOS?

I just read an article that stated around 64% of U.S. businesses still have COBOL systems running their operations. So, a system that doesn’t automatically change for DST or set to GMT wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

]]> By: Michael P. O'Connor http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348694 Michael P. O'Connor Tue, 31 Oct 2006 01:32:43 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348694 As some one that does not own a car (by choice) having the light of the sun when I go to work is nice. Be it biking during the warmer months (only a 15 minute commute), or walking (50 minutes, still about 40 minutes less then most of my coworkers that drive to work), I only live 3.5 miles from work. For the biking part, the drivers can not see me during the day, it will really not see me at night. As some one that does not own a car (by choice) having the light of the sun when I go to work is nice. Be it biking during the warmer months (only a 15 minute commute), or walking (50 minutes, still about 40 minutes less then most of my coworkers that drive to work), I only live 3.5 miles from work.

For the biking part, the drivers can not see me during the day, it will really not see me at night.

]]> By: Chris Jennings http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348476 Chris Jennings Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:27:21 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348476 "Ask any IT network geek what DST does to his system twice a year, in many cases they need to shut them down to prevent cross time stamping of files, etc." If your IT people are using an operating system that doesn't datestamp according to UTC and then adjust for regional timezones then you need to get a new Operating system. What the hell are you using??? DOS? “Ask any IT network geek what DST does to his system twice a year, in many cases they need to shut them down to prevent cross time stamping of files, etc.”

If your IT people are using an operating system that doesn’t datestamp according to UTC and then adjust for regional timezones then you need to get a new Operating system. What the hell are you using??? DOS?

]]> By: Olo Baggins of Bywater http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348411 Olo Baggins of Bywater Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:46:20 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348411 11...GMT was the center of the universe, and the IDL is where there's nobody at all. At least, it was that way to the scientists who started it all, and who may have lived in Greenwich. (Note: I did no fact checking before writing this.) 11…GMT was the center of the universe, and the IDL is where there’s nobody at all. At least, it was that way to the scientists who started it all, and who may have lived in Greenwich.

(Note: I did no fact checking before writing this.)

]]> By: 0113addiv http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348388 0113addiv Mon, 30 Oct 2006 20:21:53 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348388 sychronicity alert!: I've gotta run some telecom cabling so I wanted to measure the length of wiring needed. I figured I'd use my paces as a good measure because the length is very long. I took 10 paces and measured how many feet I covered... 24 feet! (i.e., every pace equals 2.4 feet which now makes it easy to measure long lengths). Ahh, synchronicity is everywhere! sychronicity alert!: I’ve gotta run some telecom cabling so I wanted to measure the length of wiring needed. I figured I’d use my paces as a good measure because the length is very long. I took 10 paces and measured how many feet I covered… 24 feet! (i.e., every pace equals 2.4 feet which now makes it easy to measure long lengths). Ahh, synchronicity is everywhere!

]]> By: 0113addiv http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348340 0113addiv Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:49:35 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348340 We should slow down time. Instead of a 24 hour day, we should make a day 10 hours. That will stretch time 2.4 times what we now feel. Just imagine, you go in for a one hour (base 10--not base 24) massage and you're on the table for a long nice time, like the way pleasurable things are supposed to be. Of course, politicians will take advantage of this by claiming that they increased the minimum wage to $10.00/hour ! (and of course, the masses will agree since they hardly ever know when they're getting hood-winked). We should slow down time. Instead of a 24 hour day, we should make a day 10 hours. That will stretch time 2.4 times what we now feel. Just imagine, you go in for a one hour (base 10–not base 24) massage and you’re on the table for a long nice time, like the way pleasurable things are supposed to be. Of course, politicians will take advantage of this by claiming that they increased the minimum wage to $10.00/hour ! (and of course, the masses will agree since they hardly ever know when they’re getting hood-winked).

]]> By: Mike Voice http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348320 Mike Voice Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:30:09 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348320 I am in favor of eliminating the use of DST, but I can't imagine the US dropping the use of time-zones... heck, we can't even stomach the switch to metric! :) I can see using GMT to coordinate people's activities across time-zones - scheduling a conference call, etc - but I don't see the reasoning behind dropping use of time zones. If I was going to change things, I would make the Date Line and the Time Line one-in-the-same. Why do we have our time referenced to Greenwich, England, but have the date change in the middle of the Pacific Ocean??? WTF? Who are the morons who agreed to <i>that</i>? ;) 5 <i>anyway, China has one time zone… seems they’ve managed.</i> Good point. I hadn't heard that mentioned before. http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/china/ Wouldn't it be nice to fly from the Left Coast of the US to the Right, and not "lose" 3-hours. Or "gain" 3-hours on your return flight? I am in favor of eliminating the use of DST, but I can’t imagine the US dropping the use of time-zones… heck, we can’t even stomach the switch to metric! :)

I can see using GMT to coordinate people’s activities across time-zones – scheduling a conference call, etc – but I don’t see the reasoning behind dropping use of time zones.

If I was going to change things, I would make the Date Line and the Time Line one-in-the-same.

Why do we have our time referenced to Greenwich, England, but have the date change in the middle of the Pacific Ocean??? WTF?

Who are the morons who agreed to that? ;)

5 anyway, China has one time zone… seems they’ve managed.

Good point. I hadn’t heard that mentioned before.
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/china/

Wouldn’t it be nice to fly from the Left Coast of the US to the Right, and not “lose” 3-hours. Or “gain” 3-hours on your return flight?

]]> By: sirfelix http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348237 sirfelix Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:28:24 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348237 If anyone could sit down with a caculator and add up the time, energy and money saved by getting rid of DST and Time Zones, it would baffle your mind. Ask any IT network geek what DST does to his system twice a year, in many cases they need to shut them down to prevent cross time stamping of files, etc. Most locals already work by a set schedule, meaning if the schools or your work want you to come in later or earlier then they will change your schedule. As it is now my wife has to go into work sometimes at 9 and other times at 8:30 or 10. So the schools can just change the time to come to school. If anyone could sit down with a caculator and add up the time, energy and money saved by getting rid of DST and Time Zones, it would baffle your mind.
Ask any IT network geek what DST does to his system twice a year, in many cases they need to shut them down to prevent cross time stamping of files, etc.

Most locals already work by a set schedule, meaning if the schools or your work want you to come in later or earlier then they will change your schedule. As it is now my wife has to go into work sometimes at 9 and other times at 8:30 or 10. So the schools can just change the time to come to school.

]]> By: Olo Baggins of Bywater http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348185 Olo Baggins of Bywater Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:19:55 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348185 The goofballs in Indiana (my nearby neighbor to the south) <i>just</i> joined the rest of the western hemisphere in doing DST, and now someone proposes this? They currently have campaign ads ripping the governor for the "devastation caused by the time change," so imagine...this could cause civil war in Indiana. :-) The goofballs in Indiana (my nearby neighbor to the south) just joined the rest of the western hemisphere in doing DST, and now someone proposes this? They currently have campaign ads ripping the governor for the “devastation caused by the time change,” so imagine…this could cause civil war in Indiana. :-)

]]> By: John Paradox http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348142 John Paradox Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:40:17 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348142 Has anyone thought how this would affect Sundials? Each current Zone would have to have a different set of numbers.. Also, are there any wrist/pocket watches that have automatic reset for Daylight Saving Time? (not just top-end, but generic - I don't wear a watch, and live in AZ, with no switch) J/P=? Has anyone thought how this would affect Sundials?

Each current Zone would have to have a different set of numbers..

Also, are there any wrist/pocket watches that have automatic reset for Daylight Saving Time? (not just top-end, but generic – I don’t wear a watch, and live in AZ, with no switch)

J/P=?

]]> By: Jim Scarborough http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348116 Jim Scarborough Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:16:27 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348116 I work with folks in India, and I've done some time zone work for a global shipping company. I think we really need to keep the time how it is because, even though globalization tends to push us towards GMT (or any other standard), the majority of our synchronized activities remain local. Imagine being a business traveler in a world that used GMT - rather than learning the local time, you'd have to learn the local customs. As tempting as it is to flatten the globe for timekeeping, we still live on a giant spinning marble. I work with folks in India, and I’ve done some time zone work for a global shipping company. I think we really need to keep the time how it is because, even though globalization tends to push us towards GMT (or any other standard), the majority of our synchronized activities remain local. Imagine being a business traveler in a world that used GMT – rather than learning the local time, you’d have to learn the local customs. As tempting as it is to flatten the globe for timekeeping, we still live on a giant spinning marble.

]]> By: Greg Allen http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/10/30/maybe-its-time-to-get-rid-of-time-zones/comment-page-1/#comment-348109 Greg Allen Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:08:08 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=7789#comment-348109 I've had this same thought, myself. Why have time zones? I'm a ham radio geek and we don't use them... we just use UTC. There would probably be some sort of coordination to determine standard business hours in a given region but that wouldn't be as hard has having 24 different times going on in the world. I’ve had this same thought, myself. Why have time zones? I’m a ham radio geek and we don’t use them… we just use UTC.

There would probably be some sort of coordination to determine standard business hours in a given region but that wouldn’t be as hard has having 24 different times going on in the world.

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