Change Datelines, Change The World

News about time zone changes for sister islands Tokelau, with a population of less than 1,500 people, and larger Samoa, population 180,000, wouldn’t have been surprising had I known what the dateline looked like in that area of our world.

An explanation here informed me of the reason for such an odd little jig at that point of the eastern and western hemispheres' dateline. The answer to why depends on who you talk to where, but some one at some point evidently believed it would be to Samoa’s benefit to be in the western hemisphere in spite of the distance between Samoa and the USA.

That opinion was bound to change over time for Samoa's proximity to Australia and New Zealand makes the decision logical. The new 2012 dateline shows how the decision to reintegrate Samoa into the eastern hemisphere creates an even more interesting line of demarcation for that time zone.

Even Britain is once again rethinking its time zone appointments. Proponents are looking at the possible financial advantages of being more closely associated with Europeans by changing their dateline. Opponents are considering the safety of citizens as well as the logistics for living in northern locations should that time change take place.

How the issues related to these situations play out in the countries involved will be of at least some interest to the rest of the world as it will affect communication and travel for everyone. What this news has most immediately done for me, though, is prompt curiosity about what all of the time zones look like today, and why.

If you are also interested in this topic the following sites are resources that offer you a better picture of what our world looks like according to time and how scientists have and are continuing to evaluate the mystery of how time works. Hope you enjoy checking them out as much as I did.

• Be sure to read the short introduction and click continue on this page. You will not want to miss the interactive guide it provides.

• This 2.5 minute video shares a brief but interesting history of time zones. It makes me think about how difficult so-called exact science is, and how we do not know as much as we think we do about this marvelous creation called the world.

• Before you say it, I promise that I know what you’re going to say, but I came across this right after the video above and had to include it. Forgive me, please. :] See this World Clock Pro then shake your head and smile with me.

• This page is a lengthy read, but worth it for anyone interested in being challenged by a look at unpopular details. If you check this site out be sure not to miss their Resources page.

The reality that Samoans lost the entire day of December 30, 2011 raises questions about matters which we go through life thinking are settled-matter-of-fact certainties.

We may say that a person lived 30 years, but if we break that down to days, how many days will Samoans have lived if they lived through the day they lost? Babies born that day in Samoa could have some interesting explaining to do throughout life, but if someone died on December 30, 2011 in Samoa, they're still gone.

The ruminative questions could be just plain silly because of the obvious answers, but there is one point we can take from it all. The reality for each of us is that death remains the great equalizer and how long the clock ticks for any of us isn’t what counts.

Waxing philosophical about the questions that could be raised would be an interesting exercise, but actually, there is only one thing that matters. Our life--our time--is a vapor, just as God warns. What He says regarding eternity is as sure as our lives are short.

May your New Year, and all the days of time that remain to you, be filled with the grace that God offers to mankind through His Son according to His Word.

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