A DAY AROUND THE WORLD

The idea that at any moment in time, the time is different around the world is combined with the idea that during any day, people spend their time differently, and the result is a confusion of terms and concepts. Take three of the eleven examples; it is 7 A.M. in New York. 2 P.M. in Distome, Greece, 10 P.M. in Hokkaido, Japan; American Steve is getting ready to go to school, Greek Nikos is tending his sheep, Japanese Mitsuko is fetching water from the well for her father's bath; the first is dependent on the time of day, the second is continuous, the third is related to the hour but not restricted to it. Few of the activities follow the normal routine of childhood--only four of the youngsters seem to go to school. What is presented as characteristic of the other countries (guiding elephants in India, selling pottery in Mexico) is neither clock-timed nor timely. A waste of time.