I would like to ask a question about EU daylight time: since the directive defining the 'summer-time period' is for a limited number of years, when does the directive expire? Also, does anyone know what dates Russia and the rest of the CIS will be observing daylight time on this year? The World Almanac gave March-September, changing on the 4th Monday but I was thinking that Monday was probably in error and that I remember they were using EU dates in the mid-80s (source: English translation of PRAVDA) so they might be keeping DST until the end of October this year as well. About Mongolia. I just called the AT&T international operator and got a time of GMT+9 for Ulan Bator, and then asked if this time was valid throughout Mongolia and got an affirmative response. I presume GMT+9 means GMT+8 with DST, probably on whatever dates Russia is using. (I also have seen time maps with Mongolia in either one zone or split into three. I presume that both have been true at various times in their history.) Mongolia came up recently in sci.astro; there is a group going there for a total solar eclipse next month. About time changes being automatically built into software, VCRs, etc... I regard this as a very BAD idea, because DST rules change. (Thinking of many a system in the EU that is going to change back at the end of September and can't be programmed for the new directive...) Also there are places that don't use DST such as Arizona or the EST part of Indiana and groups and individuals who deliberately do not use local civil time.