How time flies

With what was certainly meant to be a clever headline, Yahoo reported on Russia's reduction of its 11 time zones to nine: Russia eliminates two time zones. If you read the link, it attempts to be even more clever with "russia killing time."

Here we see the hand of writers and editors for whom the Cold War is something they reached in history surveys about the same time that spring fever struck the classroom. Nyet, nyet, comrades: The former USSR never (publicly) did anything as crass as eliminate anyone. Certainly, except in wartime, they never killed anyone either. Enemies of the people, such as these two reactionary time zones, were liquidated: much nicer, of course. Thus a clever (and properly edited) headline here should speak of Russia liquidating two time zones. Alas, this would not occur in a decade in which liquidation only happens to toxic financial assets. Nor would many younger persons reflect that Stalin's purge of 20 million of his own people came very near to liquidating two time zones by slaughtering the inhabitants of two time zones.

Do read this item. As usual, there seem to be unintended consequences. Note the complaints of time zones some distance east of Moscow which will hereafter be on Moscow time, even though midwinter sunsets will consequently arrive at midday.

Darkness at Noon is made literal: Arthur Koestler must be rolling in his grave.