Happy Halloween - DST Has To Go
“Just Thinking"
Another thing, “spring forward and fall back.” Is supposed to explain everything, right? I never truly got it. I just knew that in my younger days football practice would end earlier, and later in my 20s we’d try to convince the bartender to stay open an extra hour on Saturday night, since the time officially fell back at 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning.
I remember that it was always attributed to Ben Franklin who somehow found time between harnessing electricity, writing Poor Richard’s Almanack, helping to draft the Declaration of Independence, and serving as ambassador to France he talked about it way back in 1784, saying that it would help the farmers. The first serious proposal came in 1895 from George Hudson, it was first adopted by Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1916 to conserve coal during WWI, soon Britain, the U.S., and others followed.
Why do we use it here in the United States? I always heard it was to help keep children safe going to school, but so many schools have switched to 9:00 starts, I believe that it is a non-issue? Besides back in my day we walked to school in the dark, barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways.
The official reasons include energy savings, originally to cut coal and electricity use. Modern studies show mixed results, some energy saved, but more air conditioning used in summer. There are also supposed economic benefits: retail, recreation, and tourism all claim to do better with brighter evenings. Some studies have also shown fewer car accidents during evening commute hours.
Many people dislike DST for other valid reasons, it disrupts sleep patterns, which is bad for your health, modern lighting is so energy efficient that savings are minimal, and in the spring kids are right back to going to school in the dark. So much for safety.
Hawaii and Arizona remain the only two truly sensible states (on this topic) that stay on standard time year-round — with the exception of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, which observes DST.
My Conclusion, Daylight Saving Time began as a wartime energy-saving measure and continues today largely due to habit, economics, and politics, despite ongoing debates about its benefits. Forget protesting the government Shutdown, this is a protest that I could get behind: End Daylight Saving Time.
BTW, Happy Halloween a long-standing tradition that brings excitement and joy to children and families everywhere. It’s a wonderful chance for kids to be kids, to live out their fantasies and show off for friends and neighbors with the bonus of loading up on candies. For adults, it’s a wonderful chance for to act like kids, to live out their fantasies and show off for friends and neighbors with the bonus of a few adult beverages into the mix.
We are at the top of the slide, Halloween tonight, November 1st, “All Saints Day”, three weeks until Thanksgiving, then four weeks until Christmas, one week until the New Year, rinse and repeat.
Have a great Weekend.
Let me know what you think.
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