> > > My TZ variable is set as TZ=EST and is exported. Removing it makes
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > the time GMT so I know it's being checked and included in the
> > > calculations.
> [SNIPPED]
> The links in /usr/local/share/zoneinfo are set up to point to US/Eastern.
> I note that nothing sets TZ automatically.
If you have a TZ variable it overrides the links.
> I find that setting te TZ variable to to EST5EDT makes it work!!!??????
>
> Does this mean that the gnu wizards heard that Eastern Daylight savings
> time will not exist anymore after Y2K?
>
> Notice, the current localtime is correct in both cases!
"EST" has never been a valid timezone string AFAIK; "EST5" or
"EST5EDT" have been. "EST" may have worked by sheer coincidence in
the past.
-hpa