Re: [LEAPSECS] independence day

From: Michael Sokolov <msokolov_at_IVAN.HARHAN.ORG>
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2006 17:03:07 GMT

Rob Seaman <seaman_at_noao.edu> wrote:

> The point is, however, that nothing - absolutely nothing -
> would then protect legal timekeeping in the U.S. or elsewhere from
> the whims of future timekeepers at the ITU.
>
> Say we go with leap hours. UTC isn't therefore less malleable than
> currently - but rather more so in the only sense that matters for
> legal timekeeping. That is, a small entrenched committee would be
> able to vote arbitrary changes to international time precisely
> because the standard would no longer be tied to any physical
> phenomena. One might wonder why changes might be made. I'll only
> point out - why not? What in practice would stop these individuals
> from leaping the clock forward or backward at will, or from changing
> the rate of UTC, or for that matter from making the clocks run
> backwards?

We already have a historical precedent for this kind of manipulation --
corrupt Roman calendar keeper priests who adjusted the calendar to
extend or shorten the term of office of various elected officials.

MS
Received on Wed Jul 05 2006 - 10:03:25 PDT