Well, by know you know that we have changed clocks once again. Either, you are one of the fortunate unfortunates that forgot or didnt know, or one of the unfortunate fortunates who did. If you fall into the former category, you learned or remembered by some slighly embarrasing moment but you did get the normal amount of sleep. If the later, you are rewarded for your diligence by being robbed of an hour of sleep.
But what hour did you lose? Was is Midnight? Far too important an hour to lose. As the boundary between days, Midnight is the most important time of a given day, though most of us pay her respect by sleeping through it. No, Midnight will not give up her status. Think about if she was the double hour. When it came time to set the clocks back, would we advance a full day in one hour? Hola Wells. Como estas?
And any time that is actual productive time is out. 5:00, 6:00... Especially when you play with Eastern and Pacific times... Skipping 6 in NY, and 6 in Seattle.... That gives us an unfair advantage. NY jumps ahead 3 hours before us and are working an hour earlier before we even have the chance to respond. Maybe not. My head is spinning.
So we need an hour that is neither self-important, nor productive. Those pesky time zones factor in some trouble so what are we left with?
2:00. Perhaps the least important hour of the day. We've decided that 2:00 in the am is worth skipping all together. Of couse she gets her revenge by subjecting us to two 2:00am's in the Fall. But we've found a way to make that a party in that bars that normally close at 2:00, get a bonus hour. So it still works in our favor and not in hers.
Want to know more? I dont know why you would. But here...
Daylight Saving Time
And BTW, it's Daylight Saving Time not Daylight Savings Time. "Saving' modifies "time" not "daylight".
Speaking of time, I just wasted 20 minutes. Should have written this in the missing hour.
Blast.
Here's the Wikipedia entry on the subject as well:
ReplyDeleteDaylight Saving Time
Interesting to note that it was first started by the Germans during WWI, and later adopted (then repealed and adopted again) by the US.
The thing I can never keep straight is when to use "Standard Time" vs. "Saving Time". When you say "10:00 am PST" it means 10:00 am Pacific Standard Time during the fall, and 10:00 am Pacific Saving Time in the summer...or is it the other way around? Does it really matter?
As far as what is saved, I guess you are saving an hour that you will return to yourself in the fall.
It should just be called Summer Time, like the EU does. It makes a little more sense, even though it's applied during spring time.
I suppose another question is... Who decides who follows the rule? I may be wrong but I think Arizona (Maybe Nevada?) doesn't play by the same rules. They just don't want that much heat? What?
ReplyDeleteSo is it a states rights issue, or a federal issue with exceptions. If it is, where do I file?