Posted by
michael
on from the VCR-clock-still-accurate-as-always dept.
standards writes "The IERS has announced, once again, that there won't be a leap second in June 2005. It has been more than six years since the last leap second."
Oh, come on, how often do you get to see an official memo addressed "to authorities responsible for the measurement and distribution of time?" Not very often, is how often. FUN.
To the authorities responsible for the measurement and distribution of time: Could you distribute a few more hours this night while I'm sleeping? I'm feeling a bit tired right now, and I think the extra hours might help. Thanks.
great way to start the year!
by
secretsquirel
·
· Score: 0
Nothing like an unexplained change(from before 5 years ago) in the laws of physics to kick off the new year!
Good to see them doing their job.
by
cryptor3
·
· Score: 4, Funny
I'm glad the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service is doing its job. Rather than doing the "hack" that is the leap second, clearly they've managed to change the rotating speed of the earth to match reality, this year.
So has anyone related this to the tsunami-spawing quake in the indian ocean?
Credible news reports reported a speeding of the earth which could bring this shoddy old planet of ours within the tolerence of our atomic clocks...
Dang disorderly universe.
-- STOP. You're being farmed.
Re:Earthquake?
by
benhocking
·
· Score: 3, Informative
Well, if we have 2.68 fewer microseconds per day, then that comes to about 979 fewer microseconds per year, or about 1 ms. So, that should have no impact on whether or not we need a full leap-second.
Also, I'm wondering whether you were trying to be funny when you referred to slashdot as a "credible news report".:)
OK already, I'm prying my tongue out of my cheek as we speak!;-)
BTW I only implied that those few microseconds gained by the increase would bring the rotation within tolerance, thus, perhaps, pushing our leap-second out to 2010 or some such date. Just to clarify, I gotta read this nonsense before I post...
And this post has been approved by the Office of Redundancy Office post approval committe.
I see the office is concerned even with the redundancy within the word "committee." So far they've only managed to reduce one of the three redundancies, but progress takes time.
The tsunami did the job for us
by
mnmn
·
· Score: 1
It might have even corrected the Earths spin to closely match our watches.
I used to hate the time standard, it should be fixed to the earths rotation in days rather than adjusting with leap seconds, but we know the Earths rotation is not universal and we cant replace the clock chips of all GPS satellites, SONET routers and communication equipment.
-- "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you."
-Nim Chimpsky
Re:The tsunami did the job for us
by
gl4ss
·
· Score: 1
the tsunami was hardly the culprit.
you got even any theory to go why it would have done that?
-- world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Re:The tsunami did the job for us
by
sixseve
·
· Score: 1
I'm sure he was partially joking, but the idea the tsunami may have affected the Earth's rotation has been circulating.
Re:The tsunami did the job for us
by
John+Hasler
·
· Score: 1
> I used to hate the time standard, it should be > fixed to the earths rotation in days...
The rate of rotation of the Earth is not constant.
-- Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Re:The tsunami did the job for us
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
> The rate of rotation of the Earth is not constant.
To quote your parent: > > but we know the Earths rotation is not universal and we cant replace the clock chips of all GPS satellites
Dont you hate it when you write a reply right after the first part of the first sentence and forget the read reminder of the post?
Insomnia
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
there won't be a leap second in June 2005
Damn. I was so looking forward to that extra second of sleep.
I believe it may have been the last leap second (1/1/1999?) or perhaps one just prior to that, I sat out by (or, more appropriately, on) the sundial at the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. with my father and his shortwave radio, and together we counted the beeps of the 61-second minute. Good father/son bonding times like these don't come around every 6-months (or every 6-years, even, it seems...)
-- This sig intentionally left justified.
Re:Shame, really...
by
clem.dickey
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
That leap second would have been added to 1998/12/31 23:59. Leap second tables usually show the seconds value for 1999/12/31 00:00:00 because it's seconds value forms the basis for seconds computations going forward.
Incidentally, I sometimes give out the following trivia questions:
A. February is the shortest month of the year, but what is the longest? (Big Hint: This question not valid in Arizona, Hawaii and parts of Indiana.)
B. Now that you've found the longest month, you know the second shortest month as well. Not every year has a unique second longest month, but for those which do, which month is it? (The second longest month, of course, is December due to the occasional leap second. March is a theoretical candidate for a leap second, but it's never had one.)
Re:Shame, really...
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Where I come from, the longest month is always March.
(Hint: This planet does have a southern hemisphere)
Due to circumstances beyond my control there will once again be no big parade this Sunday.
Lieutenant Sheisskopf
(Sorry I've been re-reading Catch-22 lately)
I Liked It Better When...
by
John+Hasler
·
· Score: 1
...They called themselves the International Earth Rotation Society. Made me visualize a group of Jules Verne characters regulating the rotation of the Earth with giant guns mounted on mountains on the equator.
-- Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Slashdot Mirror
great. i welcome this news
Nothing like an unexplained change(from before 5 years ago) in the laws of physics to kick off the new year!
I'm glad the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service is doing its job. Rather than doing the "hack" that is the leap second, clearly they've managed to change the rotating speed of the earth to match reality, this year.
I'm going to have to reschedule my appointments again :(
The unofficial
So has anyone related this to the tsunami-spawing quake in the indian ocean? Credible news reports reported a speeding of the earth which could bring this shoddy old planet of ours within the tolerence of our atomic clocks... Dang disorderly universe.
STOP. You're being farmed.
It might have even corrected the Earths spin to closely match our watches.
I used to hate the time standard, it should be fixed to the earths rotation in days rather than adjusting with leap seconds, but we know the Earths rotation is not universal and we cant replace the clock chips of all GPS satellites, SONET routers and communication equipment.
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
there won't be a leap second in June 2005
Damn. I was so looking forward to that extra second of sleep.
I believe it may have been the last leap second (1/1/1999?) or perhaps one just prior to that, I sat out by (or, more appropriately, on) the sundial at the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. with my father and his shortwave radio, and together we counted the beeps of the 61-second minute. Good father/son bonding times like these don't come around every 6-months (or every 6-years, even, it seems...)
This sig intentionally left justified.
Lieutenant Sheisskopf
(Sorry I've been re-reading Catch-22 lately)
...They called themselves the International Earth Rotation Society. Made me visualize a group of Jules Verne characters regulating the rotation of the Earth with giant guns mounted on mountains on the equator.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.