[time-nuts] Time-zones and World time..

Bruce Griffiths bruce.griffiths at xtra.co.nz
Thu Oct 30 14:01:10 UTC 2008


Chuck Harris wrote:
> With the great ease of computers to make the transformations,
> there really isn't any point in removing local timezones.  It
> is just a table after all... it is nothing like the old days when
> every major town used Local Sidereal Time (eg. 12:00 is when the
> sun is at its highest).  That caused major problems for the
> railroads.
>
> The biggest problem with local timezones is all of the continuously
> changing variations on Daylight Savings Time.  That accounts for
> the majority of the changes in the unix tz functions.
>
> It was recently reported that the onset of DST coincides with an
> increase in heart attacks, and the return to standard time coincides
> with a decrease in heart attacks.  Yet another reason to ditch
> Daylight Savings Time.
>
> -Chuck Harris
>
>   
Such "effects" are somewhat suspect as there is unlikely to have been
any comparable control group not subject to DST.
Also disentangling seasonal effects from possible DST related effects is
somewhat problematic.

Bruce



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