Next weekend those of us lucky enough to reside in the paradise that is Modern Britain are once again required to touch our forelocks (or at least, where our forelocks used to be) and dutifully put our clocks on by one hour. At the moment we are following GMT, but although Greenwich is indeed in London, we follow the ritual of changing the clocks twice each year (forward in the spring, back in the autumn).
In those bygone happy days when the typical household had only one clock (set on the mantle piece above the hearth), this was probably not too onerous a task. But in these more hectic days when we have many devices containing a clock (especially, of course, in our hospitals) it all becomes a bit much. I wonder when some bright spark is going to calculate how much all this effort costs our precious "economy"? Why do we not just stick with GMT throughout the year? Search me!
Frankly, I would have thought that in our modern, connected,
globalized world, it doesn't really matter what hour it is, just as long as we all
agree what time it is. I sometimes wonder if I'll live long enough to see the UK drag itself into the 21st. century. And I make this point whilst enjoying the lovely (?) English weather over the "Easter Bank Holiday" (early this year, for some archaic reason) in an increasingly secular (thank God) nation that banks on-line, or at the nearest ATM!
I have the Honour to remain, Ma'm, your most Humble and Obedient Servant
etc., etc. ... Citizen Geoff
PS: Happy Easter, everyone!
