# I am aghast at the lax attitude toward synchronization on this board **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 8, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783 "2003-08-08T05:57:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/1 "2003-08-08T05:57:50Z")
The time on the boards appears to be off by an entire 8 minutes from the official US time. :eek: [Atomic clock link](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java) ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/2 "2003-08-08T06:04:27Z")
The Straight Dope is definitive; reality is frequently inaccurate. ---
**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/3 "2003-08-08T06:16:35Z")
According to [Cecil Adams](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_367.html) and a physicist called Einstein, > [@](#): > > We know from the theory of relativity that time is local, not universal. In special relativity, events that are simultaneous in one reference frame are not necessarily simultaneous in another reference frame. In [general relativity](http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/NumRel/GenRelativity.html), gravity itself can slow down the passage of time. Since Cecil’s storehouse of knowledge is so massive, time in the vicinity of the Perfect Master is dilated, causing the effect you have noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/4 "2003-08-08T06:25:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neuroman \* > \*\*The time on the boards appears to be off by an entire 8 minutes from the official US time. :eek: > > [Atomic clock link](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java) \*\* Official US time is 8 minutes off from Real Time! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/5 "2003-08-08T12:53:20Z")
Telling time is an art, not a science. For instance, if the kids’ bedtime is 8:00 and it’s been an exhausting day, then 7:40 is “almost 8”. Even 7:15, if you can get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/6 "2003-08-08T14:56:24Z")
[whine]But, Dad, the other kids parents let THEM stay up later. Why can’t we[/whine] ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/7 "2003-08-08T19:44:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neuroman \* > \*\*The time on the boards appears to be off by an entire 8 minutes from the official US time. :eek: > > [Atomic clock link](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java) \*\* Hey, things are improving. [Last time, it was 10 minutes out.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=200450) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/8 "2003-08-08T22:40:07Z")
Aghast! Aghast, I tell you! It simply _won’t do_, old bean. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/9 "2003-08-09T02:56:09Z")
Eh. The UnaBoard’s off by 7 minutes (behind). It’s a common failing. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/10 "2003-08-12T07:57:20Z")
I set my computer to the SDMB time. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/11 "2003-08-15T13:34:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*I set my computer to the SDMB time. \*\* I set my life to the SDMB time. It works for me. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-aghast-at-the-lax-attitude-toward-synchronization-on-this-board/193783/12 "2003-08-20T07:07:12Z")
“Ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ime is on my side, yes it is.”–Cecil Adams, or someone like him