Newsgroups: sigs.azsech From: spinrage@aztec.asu.edu (JAY S. MANN) Subject: Isreal on 2 clocks Posted-By: azsech (Arizona Secular Humanists SIG Moderator) Reply-To: spinrage@aztec.asu.edu (JAY S. MANN) Date: Sun Oct 3 18:41:07 1999
2. Religion Puts Israel on Two Clocks
The switch from daylight-saving time to standard time is usually an excuse to sleep an extra hour but in the Mideast, it's a political act. Israelis switch early to promote religious redemption, but Palestinians decide to wait two weeks, citing patriotism. Orthodox parties in government have for years insisted on a switch that precedes the rest of the northern hemisphere by at least two weeks, saying that 5 a.m. sunrises discourage synagogue attendance.
As a result, the region has operated on two clocks over the last two weeks - throwing a lot of people off schedule: Businessmen were kept waiting, peace negotiators double-checked their schedules, diplomats found their parties pooped. It apparently even muddled errorists, who killed themselves instead of their targets when their bombs detonated an hour early.
I took this straight from a list I'm subscribed to, it's called Free Thought Now! If you would like to subscribe to it just use this address http://ATHEISM.about.com/gi/pages/mmail.htm
J a y M a n n