Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year

From	Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk>
Newsgroups	alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, comp.lang.c, comp.lang.ada, comp.programming, alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.os.linux.ubuntu
Subject	Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year
Date	2017-01-04 16:17 +0000
Organization	Fix this later
Message-ID	<o4j73c$345$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<o3gl85$j26$1@dont-email.me> <op.ytcu9n0djs98qf@red.lan> <5f5afd36-1ba2-f4e2-62ef-57a652f3170c@verizon.net>

Cross-posted to 6 groups.

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On 04/01/17 01:06, James R. Kuyper wrote:
> On 12/31/2016 04:57 PM, James Wilkinson Sword wrote:
>> On Thu, 22 Dec 2016 13:43:58 -0000, Mr. Man-wai Chang
>> <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> wrote:
> ...
>>> A "leap second" will be added to the world's official clocks on Dec. 31
>>> at 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time (UTC),
>>> which corresponds to 6:59:59 p.m. EST; the clocks will read 23:59:60
>>> before ticking over to midnight. The goal is to keep two different
>>> timescales in sync with each other.
>>>
>>> The units of time had long been defined based on Earth's rotation
>>> relative to distant celestial bodies. But that changed with the
>>> invention of atomic clocks in the mid-20th century; scientists then
>>> decided to base the second on the natural vibrations of the cesium atom.
>>> [How to Build the Most Accurate Atomic Clocks (Video)]
>>>
>>> These two timescales don't match up exactly, however. Measurements show
>>> that, because the moon's gravitational pull and other factors are
>>> gradually slowing Earth's spin, the rotation-based scale loses between
>>> 1.5 and 2 milliseconds per day compared to atomic time — meaning the two
>>> diverge by a full second every 500 to 750 days.
>>>
>>> Leap seconds are a way to make up for this difference. Since 1972, the
>>> International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) — the
>
> That name always struck me as rather funny - it seems to imply that
> they're responsible for making the Earth rotate. What they're actually
> responsible for is keeping track of the Earth's rotation.
>
>>> organization that keeps track of time for the world — has added 26 leap
>>> seconds to atomic clocks, with the last such insertion coming on June
>>> 30, 2015.
>>>
>>>   The aim is to keep the two timescales within 0.9 seconds of each
>>> other.
> ...
>> I wish they'd turn their attentions to not turning the clocks back and
>> forth all the fucking time!
>
> If you could make the Earth rotate at a fixed rate, there would be no
> need for leap seconds. It's perfect feasible, though the costs would be
> astronomical. Would you care to pay enough in taxes to make that happen?


You missed his point. He's not talking about leap seconds now, but about 
Daylight Saving Time. He thinks it's stupid that we keep putting our 
clocks forward an hour in the spring and an hour back in the evening --- 
and he's right. Those who are familiar with his output should not be 
/too/ surprised that he's right --- even a stopped clock can be right 
twice a day.


-- 
Richard Heathfield
Email: rjh at cpax dot org dot uk
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999
Sig line 4 vacant - apply within

Thread

'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-22 21:43 +0800
  Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Siri Cruise <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2016-12-22 05:48 -0800
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-22 22:09 +0800
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Krzysztof Mitko <invalid@kmitko.at.list.dot.pl> - 2016-12-24 13:47 +0100
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Siri Cruise <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2016-12-24 05:39 -0800
  Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-22 14:31 -0600
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Storkamp <mstorkamp@yahoo.com> - 2016-12-23 08:34 -0600
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "J-P. Rosen" <rosen@adalog.fr> - 2016-12-23 16:55 +0100
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2016-12-30 11:17 -0500
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2016-12-30 09:38 -0800
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year hah <hah@no.email.stupid.invalid> - 2016-12-30 15:59 -0600
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-30 15:47 -0600
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2016-12-30 15:14 -0700
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Kaz Kylheku <221-501-9011@kylheku.com> - 2016-12-30 23:26 +0000
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-03 20:46 -0500
  Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Jason <jason_warren@ieee.DELETE.org> - 2016-12-22 17:14 -0500
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "Jonathan N. Little" <lws4art@gmail.com> - 2016-12-22 17:40 -0500
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Jason <jason_warren@ieee.org> - 2016-12-23 19:57 -0500
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2016-12-23 21:44 -0600
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2016-12-31 23:42 +0000
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2016-12-30 11:16 -0500
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-30 15:58 -0600
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-30 14:37 -0800
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-30 19:16 -0600
            Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-30 17:48 -0800
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2016-12-31 10:08 +0000
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-31 14:20 -0600
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-31 14:34 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2016-12-31 16:45 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2016-12-31 16:34 -0700
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2016-12-31 20:52 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-01-01 12:22 +0000
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-01 15:47 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-31 13:59 -0800
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2017-01-01 13:46 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-01 16:12 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2017-01-01 19:44 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2017-01-01 22:31 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> - 2017-01-02 11:23 -0700
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-02 19:03 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Storkamp <mstorkamp@yahoo.com> - 2017-01-02 13:46 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wolf K <wolfmac@sympatico.ca> - 2017-01-02 14:55 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2017-01-02 20:00 +0000
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Sam E <why.should.this@be.email.invalid> - 2017-01-02 19:07 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-01-03 06:45 +0000
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wolf K <wolfmac@sympatico.ca> - 2017-01-03 09:42 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "Cybe R. Wizard" <cybe_r_wizard@WizardsTower.invalid> - 2017-01-03 11:27 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Caver1 <caver1@inthemud.org> - 2017-01-03 14:25 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-03 17:34 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Storkamp <mstorkamp@yahoo.com> - 2017-01-02 14:20 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wolf K <wolfmac@sympatico.ca> - 2017-01-02 15:36 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-04 12:09 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wolf K <wolfmac@sympatico.ca> - 2017-01-04 19:12 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2017-01-02 15:06 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-02 19:10 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> - 2017-01-02 22:56 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-04 12:34 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-04 15:32 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-04 13:51 -0800
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-04 22:37 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-04 17:21 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2017-01-05 09:20 -0800
                [OT] Meaning and truth (Was Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year) Wolf K <wolfmac@sympatico.ca> - 2017-01-05 13:34 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Caver1 <caver1@inthemud.org> - 2017-01-07 17:20 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Kaz Kylheku <221-501-9011@kylheku.com> - 2017-01-07 22:57 +0000
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-07 19:06 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Kaz Kylheku <221-501-9011@kylheku.com> - 2017-01-08 06:16 +0000
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-08 10:26 -0500
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2017-01-02 19:05 -0600
                Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-04 00:28 +0000
            Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-01 10:01 +0000
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Mark Lloyd <not@mail.invalid> - 2016-12-31 14:29 -0600
  Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2016-12-31 21:57 +0000
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-03 20:06 -0500
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-04 15:44 +0000
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-04 14:11 -0500
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-04 19:58 +0000
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-01-04 16:17 +0000
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-04 21:03 +0000
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2017-01-05 14:15 -0600
            Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-06 01:26 +0000
          Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-09 17:12 +0000
            Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Har-dee-har-har <YouMustBeKidding@This.Com> - 2017-01-09 09:53 -0800
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "J-P. Rosen" <rosen@adalog.fr> - 2017-01-10 07:20 +0100
            Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-12 23:17 +0000
              Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Tim <timothybil@yahoo.com> - 2017-01-13 00:51 -0600
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year antispam@math.uni.wroc.pl - 2017-01-05 19:28 +0000
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James Wilkinson Sword" <imvalid@somewear.com> - 2017-01-05 21:41 +0000
  Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Dänk 42Ø <dank@nugget.org> - 2017-01-02 07:08 +0000
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-01 23:46 -0800
      Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Dänk 42Ø <dank@nugget.org> - 2017-01-02 21:56 +0000
        Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-02 15:38 -0800
    Re: 'Leap Second' to Be Added on New Year's Eve This Year "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-01-03 20:26 -0500

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