# What time is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825 "2003-09-25T19:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/1 "2003-09-25T19:53:34Z")
not one single clock in my house is exactly right. in fact, my mom has set most of them 20 minutes fast (originally to make my sister hurry up in the morning so we wouldn’t be late to school; but not she keeps them that way because she’s in denial that she gets up so early.) so anyways, i was thinking is there _any_ clock in the world that’s 100% correct, to the second or more? if so, what time is it (answer this question in terms of “how off is the Straight Dope Message Board clock?”.) ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/2 "2003-09-25T19:53:34Z")
not one single clock in my house is exactly right. in fact, my mom has set most of them 20 minutes fast (originally to make my sister hurry up in the morning so we wouldn’t be late to school; but not she keeps them that way because she’s in denial that she gets up so early.) so anyways, i was thinking is there _any_ clock in the world that’s 100% correct, to the second or more? if so, what time is it (answer this question in terms of “how off is the Straight Dope Message Board clock?”.) ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Belanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jay\_Belanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Belanger)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/3 "2003-09-25T19:57:15Z")
Does anybody know what time it is? Does anybody care? ---
**Author:** ![Redsland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@Redsland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redsland)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/4 "2003-09-25T20:00:28Z")
[http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/timer.pl](http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/timer.pl) Refresh page as necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Belanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jay\_Belanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Belanger)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/5 "2003-09-25T20:08:26Z")
On a more serious note, I have my computer regularly connect to a time server, which is supposed to be quite accurate. My computer claims the time is 3:17, while my Straight Dope web page claims it is 3:06. So, perhaps the SDMC is 11 minutes slow??? ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/6 "2003-09-25T20:09:54Z")
right now, it’s 4:20 according to my watch. (no, it’s not permanently set at that time.) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/7 "2003-09-25T20:12:58Z")
Get Windows XP, and it periodically syncs itself with the time standards. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/8 "2003-09-25T20:26:56Z")
Consult your nearest [internet Time Server](http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ntp.html). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/9 "2003-09-25T20:35:09Z")
I thought it was 25 or 6 to 4. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/10 "2003-09-25T20:46:53Z")
[www.time.gov](http://www.time.gov) is the easiest-to-remember server for me. It’s a joint service of the NIST and the U.S. Naval Observatory. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/11 "2003-09-25T21:05:26Z")
[Inhales deeply and grunts]Ha, **gypsymoth3** said 4:20, snork!![/inhales deeply and coughs] ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/12 "2003-09-25T21:28:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gotpasswords \* > \*\*Get Windows XP, and it periodically syncs itself with the time standards. \*\* Jeebuz, that’s a bad reason for getting Windows XP. Try [this utility](http://download.com.com/3000-2350-9498073.html?tag=lst-4-1), or something like it. ---
**Author:** ![bradwalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@bradwalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradwalt)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/13 "2003-09-25T21:37:07Z")
My cell phone’s clock gets updated by magic via invisible cell phone signals - and matches the “atomic clocks / time servers” to the second! I use it to set my household clocks. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/14 "2003-09-25T22:18:29Z")
Einstein’s general theory of relativity (1915) is a generalization of his special theory of special relativity (1905). It is not restricted to inertial frames, and it encompasses a broader range of phenomena, namely gravity and accelerated motions. According to general relativity, gravitational differences affect time by dilating it. Observers in a less intense gravitational potential find that clocks in a more intense gravitational potential run slow relative to their own clocks. People live longer in basements than in attics, all other things being equal. Basement flashlights will be shifted toward the red end of the visible spectrum compared to the flashlights in attics. This effect is known as the gravitational red shift. Even the speed of light is slower in the presence of higher gravity. [http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/t/time.htm#SIMULTANEITY](http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/t/time.htm#SIMULTANEITY) ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/15 "2003-09-25T23:06:19Z")
I think the clock on a cable TV box is pretty darn accurate.Discounting sports games that run long, and the dopey way some shows add ten minutes to a half hour show, the backers of this multi million dollar business want their shows to start at the time they are listed in the TV guides. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/16 "2003-09-25T23:17:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ltfire \* > \*\*…the backers of this multi million dollar business want their shows to start at the time they are listed in the TV guides. \*\* I doubt it. Typically, the backers are the advertisers. If I was to take a WAG I’d say their optimum strategy was to have a relatively high proportion programs start late, but not consistently so (or else viewers would adjust their expectations), _precisely_ to get “exposure” of their commercials. As I say, just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![oooooobaby17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cdc98d/32.png) [@oooooobaby17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oooooobaby17)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/17 "2003-09-25T23:26:11Z")
LMAO @ the 420 comment…😃 ---
**Author:** ![KenGr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecc23a/32.png) [@KenGr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KenGr)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/18 "2003-09-25T23:53:58Z")
I’m synched to the atomic clocks and this message board is 10 minutes slow. This seems to be very common with message boards. All I can guess is that people only update the server clocks once or twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/19 "2003-09-26T04:49:48Z")
Yes, using both a cell phone and an internet atomic clock the SDMB clock is ten minutes slow. Realize, of course, that the time is updated when you load a page, so if it takes you three minutes to read all the posts, the time at the bottom will be 13 minutes slow. Refresh the page and immediately scroll to the bottom to see the SDMB time. Or even easier, click on one the threads that I start - the bottom will be visible immediately. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825/20 "2003-09-26T11:32:31Z")
GAME TIME!! Sorry. Yeah, the SDMB clock can be annoying sometimes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-time-is-it/203825.md?page=2)