Can you tell what time it is? American clocks fell back later than usual in 2007

The image above is from a 2001 public service announcement that reminded people to adjust clocks manually. Source: www.defenselink.mil/afis/editors/lineart_oct.html {{PD-USGov-Military}} category:time.

Since I frequent crowded places, and address many groups, I'm often asked, "Can you tell me what time it is?" Usually, that's no problem. But this past week, answering that question's been challenging. Perhaps you can relate.

Here's why: many timepieces have been showing different faces lately. They've seemed unsure about when to say, "Sayanora!" to daylight-saving time (DST) and "Aloha!" to eastern standard time (EST). For example, my desktop computer clock (then set by time.windows.com) automatically fell back a week early. (That was unacceptable, so I've since reset it to time-a.nist.gov. Read "Does your computer know what time it is?" for instructions about resetting your computer's time server. )

In contrast, my wristwatches, old-fashioned electric and battery-operated clocks, and vehicle dashboards will continue reporting DST until someone changes them manually. Fortunately, the drafts autosaved by Blogger have switched to EST timestamps mid-post, my laptop and the atomic clocks Dad gave me (which are governed by the NIST computers) fell back this morning (presumably at 2 A.M.), and my Treo "smartphone"/PDA should catch up by falling back sometime today.

Why all the hullabaloo? The switch from DST to EST occured one month later than usual in 2007. In time zones that observe DST, the backhanding of timepieces occurred on the first Sunday in November (today, November 4) at 2:00 AM rather than during the last weekend in October. Learn why.

The following mnemonic makes it easy for those who observe DST to remember HOW time changes twice yearly: "spring forward, fall back." However, WHEN to reset clocks can still be confusing.

Fortunately, there are three easily accessible resoures for getting time and staying on track:

• The news media (which requires no forethought to access, and precious little brainpower to keep up with).
  
• www.Time.gov. As stated at About Time.gov: "This public service is cooperatively provided by the two time agencies of the United States: a Department of Commerce agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and its military counterpart, the U. S. Naval Observatory (USNO). Readings from the clocks of these agencies contribute to world time, called Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The time maintained by both agencies should never differ by more than 0.000 0001 seconds from UTC (see recent comparisons). "

The URLs for those sites are: Time & Frequency Division, NIST and Time Service Department, USNO.

• WebExhibits.org>>Daylight Saving Time. WebExhibits (curated by Michael Douma at the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement in Washington, D.C.) is an interactive, web-based museum that challenges visitors to think and explore scientific and cultural phenomena in new ways. The Daylight Saving Time exhibit is supported by IDEA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Time and Frequency Division, as a complement to time.gov.

To take advantage of the extra hour, I chose last night to untwist my hair (a decidedly GNARLY undertaking). Now, if only there were a way to confine such intricate operations to twice a year, and better yet, to program a computer to accomplish them automatically, at a pre-appointed time. ###

Does your computer know what time it is?

Click to hear composer Leroy Anderson conducting "Syncopated Clock" with the US Air Force Band (source)

"Does your computer know what time it is?" might seem like a crazy question if your system sprang forward at Daylight Saving Time (as mine did) and synchronizes with Internet time servers like clockwork (as mine did until recently). However, recipients of "error synchronizing time" messages will know from whence I blog.

Seeking help at Microsoft.com and my computers' help functions wasted valuable time. So I sought help elsewhere.

I found what I needed at the NIST Internet Time Service (provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Time and Frequency Division). They're from the government and they're here to help. Other Internet time servers abound, but I'm satisfied with NIST, which successfully synchronized my system, manages the Official U.S. time-clock and is always right on time.

[Microsoft, in contrast, needs to change the Internet time servers pre-programmed into Windows XP machines: time.windows.com and time.nist.gov. Neither works any longer, at least as of this posting.]

Synchronizing Windows XP-SP2 with the NIST Internet time servers requires first updating the Windows Date and Time Properties thusly:

1. Ensure your computer is connected to the Internet.
2. Right-click the time icon in the bottom right corner of the Windows XP-SP2 task bar and select Adjust Date/Time.
3. Visit the Date and Time tab and ensure the date is correct.
4. Visit the Internet Time tab and confirm that the "Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server" box is checked.
5. Punch in Enter one or more NIST Internet Time Servers, e.g., time-a.nist.gov and time-b.nist.gov. To do so, copy the time server name of your choice (e.g., time-a.nist.gov), click to highlight the name of the current server listed in the box labelled "Server:", paste the name of the selected server, and click the "Apply" button on the bottom right row of the Date and Properties box.

Then ensure that each server entered synchronizes with your computer. To do so, select, in turn, each of the servers you just entered from the Server drop-down menu in the Internet Time Tab and then click Update Now. The NIST servers should yield messages like this: "The time has successfully synchronized with [Internet time server name] on [date] at [time]."

At least, that's the message I got. Whew!

More detailed instructions and helpful tips are available at "Set Your Computer Clock Via the Internet: NIST Internet Time Service (ITS)." You may also click here to read "If you use a firewall and have trouble accessing the NIST Internet Time servers, please click here."

Don't let this glitch in time black out these broadcasts

If you've been keeping current, then this MSNBC.com Tech News and Reviews report won't surprise you: Daylight-saving glitch threatens mini-Y2K. I hope you'll take a stitch in time to avoid suffering adverse effects (like these or these) or miss hearing and sharing in my March 14 radio broadcasts.

The February 28 and March 28 Lisa Tolliver Show segments, which will air at high noon, Eastern Time on New York Radio WVOX 1460 AM and WVOX.com, won't be affected, but my back-to-back March 14 broadcasts could. (On March 14, I'll be hosting SCORE Radio: Counselors to America's Small Business at 11:30 AM, DST (Eastern) followed by the Lisa Tolliver Show at noon.)

Here's what's happening. Spring's dead ahead, and one of the season's rites has been revised.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) has mandated a schedule change to stretch the daylights out of North America's energy resources. Consequently, in the United States and Canada, Daylight Saving Time (DST) will arrive three weeks earlier and leave one week later this year than we're used to.

Clocks will spring forward one hour on the second Sunday this March (at 2:00 A.M. on March 11, to be exact) rather than on the first Sunday in April. Then on November 4, time will fall back one hour at 2:00 A.M.

Why do this? WebExhibits provides this quickie explanation: "Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring." The site also digs deeper, shedding light on why Benjamin Franklin originated the concept in 1784 and on the subsequent history and logistics of Daylight Saving Time worldwide.

Why tamper with the Daylight Savings Time-table? Associated press (AP) reports: "Congress decided that more early evening daylight would translate into energy savings."

AP and other sources discuss the problems this might present and suggest solutions. If you're not ready for March 11, then they can help you get set.

I'm gearing up, too. For example, I'm downloading updated intelligence for my smartphone and other gadgets, dusting off the atomic clocks my father gave me, and preparing media messages to ensure my audiences won't snooze and lose out on anything.