[LEAPSECS] Leap smear

[Steve Allen]

On Tue 2011-09-27T00:03:12 +0100, Clive D.W. Feather hath writ:

> I actually have no problem with your call for engineering requirements.

> Though I'd like to know where they were when the leap second was invented.


The CCIR and ITU-R have been effective at producing recommendations
while leaving scant evidence of the process.  Such records as exist in
other proceedings say that the late 1960s calls for broad consensus
and cooperation were ignored.  This is consistent with the 1972
Metrologia contribution by BIPM director J.  Terrien
http://iopscience.iop.org/0026-1394/8/3/004/
where he says "regrettable misunderstandings, especially between
astronomers and physicists, have crept into discussions on time and
frequency."

--
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