here's what the site host had to say:

"Thank you for contacting us.

Server time zone that is getting calculated with a PHP function such as DateTime() is not lagging with EST time zone and it is correct up to minute. I have uploaded a test script at mothersofboysonlinec.ipage.com/testtime.php and it is showing the minute and hour which the time that is showing at wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/eastern-time/.

If you have any further questions, please update the Support Console.

Sincerely, "

I'm still off by 5 hours.
...

i just created/registered "emailaccount04". I clicked the 3rd link on "automation settings" and it did this:

"Processed 1 messages into the email queue. Sent 4 messages successfully."

one of the 4 messages had been deleted from the queue. but it sent to them anyway. that is the dreafelhnen account - I deleted that from the queue before clicking on 3rd link. see my attachment.

the 4 messages it is referring to are:
emailaccount01
emailaccount02
emailaccount03
dreafelhnen

So I've attached a screenshot of the 3 accounts that the mailers should have emailed out to - I deleted a 'real' person (dreafelhnen) from the queue. but it still sent to them. apparently.

three accounts should have been:
emailaccount01
emailaccount02
emailaccount03

the "one" message that is still in the queue ?? - is not really even there. It should be emailaccount04.

emailaccount04 will show up in the queue in 5 hours.

even when I click on 'Messages Queue' - there are no users in there even tho the message I got after click on the 3rd link says "Processed 1 messages into the email queue. Sent 4 messages successfully."

There is no singular message in the queue.