When does Daylight Savings Time start? And why?
Well, hello, neighbor. Or neighbour, if you're from Canada, the U.K. or some other elegant place that can afford the extra letter.
The answer to the question is: Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March (March 13 in 2011) and lasts until 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November (the sixth this year).
It should really be called Daylight Shifting Time. Spring an hour ahead, fall an hour back. That's in most civilized places, even for elected officials there.
Like everything except JiffyPop, Daylight Savings Time was invented by Benjamin Franklin. It's become particularly popular in modern industrialized societies because in nicer summer months it shifts one hour of sleepy-oh-geez-i-have-to-go-to-work-now time from the morning to the hey-let's-BBQ-tonight evenings.
Daylight time is not so popular among farmers who must get up in the dark or among their dairy cows, who for a rough month or so of biological adjustment must hold that full udder what seems like a very long extra time. However, cows can't vote yet and there aren't many farmers left. So, they lose.
Yes, it's true the Obama administration is suing Arizona. However, the suit is over Arizona enforcing immigration laws that Eric Holder won't.
The lawsuit is not because the Grand Canyon State tried daylight time back in the 1960s and (Navajo Nation aside) decided, "No way!" (Think about it: How badly would you want another hour of brutal desert summer sunshine?)
So, enjoy the government-imposed loss of an hour of sleep tonight because somehow sometime you'll get it back probably. (Gee, if government can regulate our clocks, wristwatches and cellphone time displays, what's next? Light bulbs?)
And whatever the time, remember to check The Ticket regularly. Because we are always here. And never late.
-- Andrew Malcolm
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Never cared for DST. Still don't. The issue above about farmers not liking it is a bit silly. I grew up on a farm, and it doesn't matter what the clock says. It's what the sun says. We got up before sunrise to milk the cows and all the other stuff that farmers do. Clocks had nothing to do with it until it was time to go to school.
Then at night, when the sun went down we went to bed. No clocks involved. Get real guys!
Posted by: Lee Beffort | March 12, 2011 at 05:03 PM
Per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time#Terminology), the more grammatically correct terminology is "Daylight Saving Time" (no "s" on the end of "Saving")!
(AM responds: Maybe. But what people searching for today is Savings. The customer is always right. Thanks.)
Posted by: John Davis | March 12, 2011 at 05:39 PM
Personally I don't see the need for daylight savings and wish we didn't have it. Does nothing but cause confusion and chaos for me and the kids. Hopefully it will be gone one day! Anyway enough rambling for me.....off to work out and lose some weight!!
Posted by: J Lexington | March 12, 2011 at 06:06 PM
Day light Savings time:
The twice-a-year run around the house to change the clocks circle jerk.
Posted by: Zexufang | March 12, 2011 at 08:36 PM
If we're "saving" daylight then where does all that daylight we've saved go??Everybody should fight back and move to AZ-that would scare the Beejezus out of them-even more than illegal immigrants!;)
Posted by: Simply nonna | March 12, 2011 at 10:05 PM
Let's put all that Daylight we save into the Social Security lock box for later!
I hear there's plenty of room.
By the way, why are we saving Daylight?
Isn't it warmer during the day?
And aren't these the very government folks messing the economy to save us from global warming?
They should be wasting daylight!
You know, like everything else they touch.
Posted by: Jerry | March 13, 2011 at 07:46 AM
DST is a waste of time and energy. We spend an extra hour every day in the hottest part of the day, thus requiring more A/C. How does that save energy? It is just ridiculous. If you want an extra hour a day in the sunlight, get up an hour earlier and leave everyone else alone!
Posted by: chakotay2 | March 14, 2011 at 07:44 AM