What time zone is it at the South Pole?

In response to last week's question, "What time zone is it at the South Pole?", my sailing friend Caroline figured "it's time for a hot toddy!" while my video tech guru friend Gian more calmly suggested, "it's time to go home to a hot cocoa and Top Gear on the telly."

While my friend Richard suggested "it's time to go someplace warmer!", which my friend Royce more descriptively wrote, "who cares when you're trying to keep your tush from freezing off."

My dad's beach buddy Bob wrote, 'It depends on which way you are facing ," to which my friend Dave wrote, "Having been in Antarctica, I have gone "hmmmm...." over this before. It truly does make you wonder. Even outside the pole itself, much of the continent has long stretches where the sun never sets or never rises. So the whole rationale for picking a time zone is not astronomical. And since most of the continent is empty, coordinating time within the continent is not as high a priority as coordinating with the outside world. [More from David at the end of this note.]

My friends John and Kathleen added, "The U.S. station at the South Pole used New Zealand time because most Americans who go to Antarctica for the U.S. Antarctic Program fly from Christchurch, NZ." John added, "It’s amazing how many parallels there are between the North Pole and the South Pole; however, time zones are not one of them. (heh heh). One wise person surmised it doesn't matter because it's so cold you can't raise your sleeve long enough to look at your watch anyway!"

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmmm' " :

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

Live well......laugh often....have a good week.

Hal

More from David: So, it turns out that each research base picks its own time zone, and they usually choose based on either the time zone of the nearest jumping off point for getting to the station (US stations do this), or of their home base (Russian stations except on the Antarctic peninsula do this).

For example, the station at the south pole (Amundsen) is run by the US and is usually reached from New Zealand, so it uses the NZ time zone. The US base on the coast nearest to NZ (McMurdo) also uses that time zone, but the US base on the peninsula uses Chile time. The Vostok station, run by Russia, is closer to the USA station at the Pole than any of those other stations, but it uses Moscow time.

From Scott: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/2004-12-28-polar-times-_x.htm

Hmmm Week 12

In response to last week's question, "who was the lexicographer trying to help by calling a clover, which looks nothing like a rock, a sham-rock?", my friend Richard noted, "Probably the same faux (hence "sham") lexicographer who decided we clean our hair with shampoo, which fortunately neither looks or smells like ... well, you-know-what."

My skiing friend Mark noted that the lexicographer "knew those tricky leprechauns had fool's gold in their pot at the end of the rainbow, so a 'sham'rock' continued the theme."

My dad wrote, "An Irishman probably had too much St. Patrick's Day and didn't really know what he was looking at. " My friend Tracey agreed, "with enough green beer, it's amazing what you can see."

My sailing buddy Scott thought "fake-rock” didn’t sound as good ." And my friend Royce thought it was all part of a "ponzi" sham.

Then my cousin Amy realized that it was Fred Flintstone who called it a shamrock.

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmmm' " (and if you'll like my cousin Sunny, you are welcome to take a couple of days to think about it):

What time zone is it at the South Pole ?

Live well......laugh often....have a good week.

Hal

Hmmm (how to start your week)

In response to last week's question, "How do those dead bugs get in to those enclosed light fixtures? ", with no political correctness, my college roomie John noted, "to a bug, the light is Heaven with the number of virgins there tied to the bulb's wattage."

My Earthlink friend Lisa and friend Tracey concurred, writing, "at the end of their insect lives , they head toward the light. How they actually get into the fixture is a mystical question. " My birthday bud Jon agrees that "they saw the light" adding "and they weren't dead when they got in."

My sailing buddy Caroline attributed it to the same mystical force that causes socks to mysteriously disappear in the dryer.



My cousin Wes concluded "Scottie beamed them in" while my friend Richard explained, " Bugs worm their way in seeking enlightenment before they die. " My sailing buddy Scott thought this was some sort of death march.

Alas, my dad's beach friend Bob had the simpliest answer," They forgot to lighten-up ."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmmm' ":


Who was the lexicographer trying to help by calling a clover , which looks nothing like a rock, a sham-rock?


Live well......laugh often....have a good week.

Hal

Congratulations to Jon and Ruth, who daughter has her bat mitvah this Saturday.

Week 10: How do those dead bugs get in to those enclosed light fixtures?

I've been sending questions that make you go "Hmmm" to friends, family and colleagues. I'm now expanding to include this blog so that more people can join in the fun.

I'll compile (and de-dup) the answers and post the answers on Monday mornings so you can get your week off to a good start.