In a message dated 3/23/2001 2:47:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Ralph I am very intrigue by your question, in order to completely research
 can you give us a more detailed description of your source foor this
 information. ("the almanac" is not a deatiled listing of your source) >>


There is a section in the almanac (any almanac) that gives the periods of
rotation and orbit of various heavenly bodies, wherein you will see that the
earth rotates in 23:56 and change.  Needless to say, I can't find mine (which
dates to about 1971) just now, but the same info should be in various
reference books; however, take my word for it: it's true.

The closest I ever got to an explanation is that the difference gets eaten up
somewhere, but that strikes me as too convenient to actually work.  On the
othe rhand, we don't eat lunch in the dark in July.

Ralph