Super Saturday to the Start of a Wonderful Weekend,

How many time zones are there?

Ideally, there would be 24 for the 24 hours in a day, but folks like to tinker with these things, so there are about 40 to account for an adjustment in a line here and there.

When did this all start?

Between 1858 and 1876. Folks differ on who to credit with the idea, but it is a recent development.

Why?

Because, until recent times, you did not need to communicate quickly with other people a long way away. In fact, you couldn’t. You didn’t have the technology. Trains and telegraphs appeared and people were getting around faster and their words were being transmitted more quickly. So, we needed greater uniformity in understanding what time it was here, there and everywhere.

For example in the year 1857, Joe in New York telegraphs Jim in Los Angeles. Joe says, “I will wire again at sunset, be waiting?” Jim arrives at the station in LA at sunset for the message, which has been sitting there for three hours and says to the attendant, “Why didn’t Joe saying he was sending this at 3 in the afternoon?” The attendant answers, “Because sunset in New York is about 3 here. You didn’t adjust for the time zones.” To which Jim answers, “They haven’t been invented yet.”

Good answers.

We need time zones to coordinate activities over greater distances. It’s not like hollering over the fence at the neighbor next door. Long spaces need better ideas to keep track of things.

That’s why we have time zones to keep track of time, here, there and everywhere.

Have some great times today and let others know when,

Grandpa