. The people of Massachusetts are thinking of switching to the Atlantic time zone
As a resident of Massachusetts, that's news to me! Looks more like a couple op eds discussing it than any serious debate.
And smartphones are worse, some giving you the date and time that the phone call was made before playing the message.
That's not something specific to smartphones - that's something that comes from phone companies and voice mail (compared to answering machines of the past) in general. My smartphone has a voice mail app now that lets me just select the message and click "play" - a large improvement.
Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. -- Ambrose Bierce