Timestamp confusion

From: "Rob Richardson" <Rob(dot)Richardson(at)rad-con(dot)com>
To: <pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Timestamp confusion
Date: 2010-09-28 13:23:30
Message-ID: 04A6DB42D2BA534FAC77B90562A6A03D015B69AA@server.rad-con.local
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Greetings!

I have a table with a column declared to contain a timestamp with time
zone. A database function inserts a row into this table using the
following statement:

insert into alarm_hold (charge, hold_code, hold_generated,
condition_date) values (ChargeNum, '0471', 0, current_timestamp at time
zone 'UTC');

The resulting value contained in the timestamp field is 2010-09-28
13:09:27.015-04.

Since I am in the Eastern time zone of the United States and daylight
savings time is in effect, the -04 indicates that it is 4 hours earlier
for me than it is in Greenwich, England. And this value was generated
at 9:09 this morning local time, so the 13:09 is understandable.

The thing I am confused about is why the "-04" is there. This timestamp
should show a UTC time. But with the -04 in there, it seems to me that
it is showing an Eastern Daylight Time time.

What don't I understand?

Thanks very much!

RobR

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