Why do the clocks change?
Posted by: Alex S. on 31 October 2004
Is it farmers, school kids?
I've often heard how perilous it might be for kids to go to school in the dark (for about a month at most if the clocks didn't change) but never hear how much more perilous it might be to leave school in the dark when all the evil forces at work have actually woken up.
Anyway, this day always depresses me.
I've often heard how perilous it might be for kids to go to school in the dark (for about a month at most if the clocks didn't change) but never hear how much more perilous it might be to leave school in the dark when all the evil forces at work have actually woken up.
Anyway, this day always depresses me.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Shayman
quote:
Enjoy Luton
Ever been to Luton Tom? For its size its quite a nice place to live with great (if underused) municipal facilities, in Beautiful countryside and only 25 minutes from London and all that that city can afford.
The places I lived in Scotland (Glenrothes, Dundee, St. Andrews) which also get bad press were OK too for anyone with half a brain to get out and find their entertainment. Don't be so negative about us. We love Scotland down here!
Jonathan
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by matthewr
We should of course have an analogue time zones that alter as one moves North. Hence, when it's 9am in London, it might be 9:20 in Birmingham and 11am in Orkney.
This would solve the problem instantly and would allow us all to have really cool GPS enabled watches that auto-correct as one moves about the country. Also if one had a really fast car (say a De Lorean) then time travel would become possible on the M1.
Matthew
This would solve the problem instantly and would allow us all to have really cool GPS enabled watches that auto-correct as one moves about the country. Also if one had a really fast car (say a De Lorean) then time travel would become possible on the M1.
Matthew
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by long-time-dead
quote:
Originally posted by Shayman:quote:
Every year when the clock s go back there are letters in the papers saying that the only reason we go to GMT is to appease the Scots. And if you look above you'll see Toy has just spouted similar nonsense.
Not in English papers you don't. And if you read Steve Toy's post it isn't actually saying anything negative about the Scottish at all unlike your racist generalising. Its exactly that sort of comment that makes me glad I no longer live in Scotland.
Jonathan
Jonathon
If you read the post again you will see that Steve Toy suggested that :
Given that Blair is Scottish (he was born in Edinburgh) he obviously places the interests of a handful of Scottish crofters (who don't want to wait until after 10 pm for the sun to rise) in a nation with a population of 5 million, over the lives of all English schoolchildren in a country with a population of 55 million.
The inference of this statement is that the clocks should change to suit the needs of the English as they are in a majority. He even placed the fact that Tony Blair is "Scottish" as a reason why this does not take place.
If you still don't think that this is a biased viewpoint then I reckon you are far better off not living in Scotland.
At no time during this thread has Tom made any statement I can see either pro-Scotland or pro-England. Most of his comments have been factual statements.
I trust there will not be any apology to Tom or retraction from yourself as you wouldn't want to go wasting your time, it's dark outside now.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
quote:
Not if the two options are bottom and second bottom of a list.................
Quite.
quote:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland is often quoted as "holding back" England when it comes to clock changes. I suspect this is the usual English parochial egocentric bollocks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By whom?
Not by me. I don't blame the Scots at all. I actually blame politicians for using Scotland as an excuse not to save the lives of 500 children each year.
quote:
And if you read Steve Toy's post it isn't actually saying anything negative about the Scottish at all
This is quite correct. I love Scotland and the Scots.
Tom,
Your mate Top Cat (who is Scottish unlike your good self) has been a very good host to me on two occasions. These are two out of four occasions that I've visited Scotland.
A mate of mine living up in Wrexham way is also more Scottish than anything else...
I'm actually quite envious of the Scots for the way they are governed, for their sensible licensing laws that don't provoke people into aggressive behaviour, for the quality of their whiskies and some of their beers, for their hospitality, for their openness and friendliness to others, and for their stunning scenery and unspoilt architecture.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by JonR
I always thought Blair was an Englishman who just happened to be born in Scotland, though I suppose with the Dear Leader one can never be really all that sure nowadays.....
jon
jon
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
Snigger.
Regards,
Steve.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by long-time-dead
quote:
Originally posted by JonR:
I always thought Blair was an Englishman who just happened to be born in Scotland
KINDA SAYS IT ALL !!
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
quote:
KINDA SAYS IT ALL !!
If I were a Scot I'd disown him too!
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by long-time-dead
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
quote:
If you read the post again you will see that Steve Toy suggested that :
Given that Blair is Scottish (he was born in Edinburgh) he obviously places the interests of a handful of Scottish crofters (who don't want to wait until after 10 pm for the sun to rise) in a nation with a population of 5 million, over the lives of all English schoolchildren in a country with a population of 55 million.
The inference of this statement is that the clocks should change to suit the needs of the English as they are in a majority. He even placed the fact that Tony Blair is "Scottish" as a reason why this does not take place.
If you still don't think that this is a biased viewpoint then I reckon you are far better off not living in Scotland.
In a strictly demographic sense I don't consider my viewpoint to be biased. CET would clearly benefit England (home of 90% of the British population) and wouldn't be be particularly detrimental to Scotland where less than 10% of the British population lives.
If the Scots later found that they prefered daylight in December to start at 9 instead of 10 am, their elected assembly could move to go one hour behind England.
Through this discussion I'm now reaching the conclusion that the one and only reason for keeping GMT, at least in winter, is jingoism.
Scotland is just used as a convenient excuse.
Regards,
Steve.
[This message was edited by Steve Toy on Tue 02 November 2004 at 19:56.]
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Paul Ranson
Sometimes I think that people actually believe that you get more hours of daylight simply by calling them something else.
Paul
Paul
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
Paul Ranson,
Throughout this thread you've completely missed the point.
When I get back from the pub I'll explain to you why.
Regards,
Steve.
Throughout this thread you've completely missed the point.
When I get back from the pub I'll explain to you why.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Paul Ranson
Much more sense.
'Mid-day', half way through the day as defined by when the sun comes up and when the sun goes down. Nobody (except Toy) could argue with that. No special interests, no farmers or school children, or the minority of business that cares what happens in Brussels on an hour by hour basis.
In the modern flexible connected world why would we want to be governed by when the government says to go to work or go to sleep? It's not very 'IBM advert land' is it...
Paul
'Mid-day', half way through the day as defined by when the sun comes up and when the sun goes down. Nobody (except Toy) could argue with that. No special interests, no farmers or school children, or the minority of business that cares what happens in Brussels on an hour by hour basis.
In the modern flexible connected world why would we want to be governed by when the government says to go to work or go to sleep? It's not very 'IBM advert land' is it...
Paul
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by MichaelC
quote:
Originally posted by Paul Ranson:
In the modern flexible connected world why would we want to be governed by when the government says to go to work or go to sleep? Paul
And there lies the problem...we must be governed - we are not able to make up our own minds - welcome to the machine - welcome
Mike
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by arf005
GMT or not - working nights this time of year sucks!
Try working off-shore - 175 miles NE of Aberdeen (I'm closer to Norway!) and nothing but bloody darkness for two weeks.....
Try working off-shore - 175 miles NE of Aberdeen (I'm closer to Norway!) and nothing but bloody darkness for two weeks.....
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
A letter to the parents from the headteacher
Dear Mr and Mrs Smyth,
I'm expressing not some inconsiderable concern as to why your two children, Jake in year 7 and Andrew in Year 9, are apparently hanging outside the school gates as early as 7.45 am when the school doesn't actually open until 8.30 am, in the dark, and vulnerable to any passer-by who may put them of risk of harm, only for the pair of them to leave their respective classes towards the end of Period 3 after afternoon break, and are presumably heading home before period 4, the last period of the day.
As well as the disruption this is causing to our afternoon classes, I'm concerned that they are missing out on a quarter of their school timetable.
I did manage to catch Andrew on his way out. He just said that you'd told him to leave school a good hour before dark, and he pushed past me on his way out of the school gate...
Regards,
Steve.
[This message was edited by Steve Toy on Wed 03 November 2004 at 3:30.]
Dear Mr and Mrs Smyth,
I'm expressing not some inconsiderable concern as to why your two children, Jake in year 7 and Andrew in Year 9, are apparently hanging outside the school gates as early as 7.45 am when the school doesn't actually open until 8.30 am, in the dark, and vulnerable to any passer-by who may put them of risk of harm, only for the pair of them to leave their respective classes towards the end of Period 3 after afternoon break, and are presumably heading home before period 4, the last period of the day.
As well as the disruption this is causing to our afternoon classes, I'm concerned that they are missing out on a quarter of their school timetable.
I did manage to catch Andrew on his way out. He just said that you'd told him to leave school a good hour before dark, and he pushed past me on his way out of the school gate...
Regards,
Steve.
[This message was edited by Steve Toy on Wed 03 November 2004 at 3:30.]
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Steve Toy
Mr Ranson,
We cannot rely on individual offices/factories/schools etc taking unilateral decisions as to starting an hour earlier/later as the days grow longer/shorter.
We need to move the clocks themselves to assure some kind of synchronisation across the working day upon which everyone will depend.
Regards,
Steve.
We cannot rely on individual offices/factories/schools etc taking unilateral decisions as to starting an hour earlier/later as the days grow longer/shorter.
We need to move the clocks themselves to assure some kind of synchronisation across the working day upon which everyone will depend.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Paul Ranson
Steve, you're a sheep. Try being a tiger. Eat a few schoolchildren.
Paul
Paul
Posted on: 05 November 2004 by Shayman
quote:
At no time during this thread has Tom made any statement I can see either pro-Scotland or pro-England. Most of his comments have been factual statements.
No but "English parochial egocentric bollocks" is pretty anti-English wouldn't you say?
quote:
I trust there will not be any apology to Tom or retraction from yourself
No then.
Jonathan
PS have a nice weekend everyone
Posted on: 05 November 2004 by Wolf
Well, I say split the difference by half an hour and leave it there year round. I got caught in this last one having a concert to go to and nobody showed up at the right time till I asked my neighbor. I was pretty stressed out by that time. UGH!
Life is analogue, enjoy it while you can.
Life is analogue, enjoy it while you can.