Saturday, November 6, 2010

It's About Time...!


You would think that after all these years, I would be used to this time change thing!

Still, every year at this time I have to be reminded by someone to change my clocks! All I can say is thank goodness for the folks at Old Farmer's Almanac! they send out these great little newsletters about so many helpful things...and, luckily for me, one of the things covered is the time change!

This whole time change thing has been a conduit for disagreement ever since its' first use. Some folks like it, some folks don't! I don't think I like it much any more.

Here's a little history behind Daylight Savings Time from the pages of the Almanac. I thought that since tomorrow is the time change once again...you might find it interesting!

Daylight Savings ends on Sunday, November 7, at 2:00 A.M. Remember to "fall back" by setting your clocks back one hour. (The exceptions are Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.)

Credit for Daylight Saving Time belongs to Benjamin Franklin, who first suggested the idea in 1784. The idea was revived in 1907, when William Willett, an Englishman, proposed a similar system in the pamphlet The Waste of Daylight.

The Germans were the first to officially adopt the light-extending system in 1915 as a fuel-saving measure during World War I. The British switched one year later, and the United States followed in 1918, when Congress passed the Standard Time Act, which established our time zones. This experiment lasted only until 1920, when the law was repealed due to opposition from dairy farmers (cows don't pay attention to clocks).

During World War II, Daylight Saving Time was imposed once again (this time year-round) to save fuel. Since then, Daylight Saving Time has been used on and off, with different start and end dates. Currently, Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 A.M. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 A.M. on the first Sunday in November.

So, like it or not...it's here again! Just remember the old saying "Spring forward, Fall back" and all will be normal again (time-wise) until next year! That is, unless someone else comes up with another way to screw with our heads and with the time!

Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside! Anyone got the time?

20 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow ... I forgot all about the time changing ... thank you for the reminder!!

Anonymous said...

Daylight savings has been rendered obsolete. It has been shown that with today's power hungry technology it increases power consumption. Benjamin Franklin didn't have air conditioners that are run longer during the hot day and that alone offsets any savings in light.

Somebody in government has forgotten to think... again.

AV

Anonymous said...

We changed back to normal time last week and I just hate these changes! I guess it can do some good further south, but way up here in the north it doesn´t do anything to be honest.

It is daylight at least 17 hours here during the summer, so to change the clock is like missing the ball when You try to kick it :-) :-) :-)

Research has shown that the heart attack rate goes up 5% those days they change the time like this. It is really stressful for the heart they say.

Have a great day now!
Christer.

HermitJim said...

Hey ~MC~...
Glad I could be of a little service, my friend! Seems like the least I could do!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey AV...
Far as I'm concerned, it should be done away with!

Many thanks for the visit today!

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
Don't think that a lot of people like the whole concept any more! Maybe it's time for a change! No pun intended!

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!

Catman said...

Daylight savings....what a crock. The politicians couldn't figure a way to tax you for the light, so they hoped to make your work or spend for an extra hour so they could tax you on that.

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
Sort of like the window tax in early England! You can bet that if they can figure a way to make a dime on a new tax...it will be done!

After all, someone has to foot the bill for all these "important" trips over seas!

I appreciate the visit today, buddy!

Catman said...

Jim,

In San Francisco, you can still find many older homes with sealed up windows. They used to tax people on windows there as well.

And ornamental trees too.

Figures.

Momlady said...

I think they should put the time in the middle and leave it alone!! I know it takes me longer each year to adjust and newborns don't have any idea about time so new mothers have a hard time adjusting as well.

Ben in Texas said...

I've said for years, that no matter what you do or say, YOU CAN NOT SLOW DOWN THE SUN!!! DUH!!!

I blame it all on Ben Franklin!

Dizzy-Dick said...

I live with pets, so they dictate what time to get up in the morning. It is always earlier than I want to. Haven't used an alarm clock in years.

Mayberry said...

I hate the time change, but I'm glad you reminded me! I would have went to work an hour early on Monday!

Ken said...

...yep,i'll vote for splittin'the difference and leavin'it alone...seems kinda obsolete when i think about it,i'm up at daylight anyway,no matter what time i go to bed(sucks but that's the way i'm programmed...)

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
I didn't know the practice still existed and taxing the ornamental trees makes no sense to me at all!

Wonder what the thinking was behind that one?

Thanks again for the visit, my friend!


Hey Momlady...
I'm with you on that, for sure! Leaving it alone seems like the best idea to me! I'm all in favor of simple!

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Ben...
I don't know why, but the phrases of "Don't mess with Mother Nature" comes to mind!

Don't know why we still use this crap, anyway!

Thanks, buddy, for dropping by today!


Hey Dizzy...
Pet's do seem to have the final say of when we rise and shine, don't they? I think it's that way in most pet house holds!

I appreciate the visit today, my friend!


Hey Mayberry...
Glad I could be of some help, buddy! Don't want you to go in early, unless the pay makes it a good idea!

Many thanks for the visit this morning!


Hey Ken...
Does seem like the logical thing to do, doesn't it? Certainly gets my vote!

Glad you could come by this morning!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

Thanks for the reminder and the great info. Have a great saturday.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
Glad to be of service, my friend!

Have a great day and thanks for coming by today!

Bob Mc said...

I heard on the radio last night that Russia is doing away with it. My dogs tell me when it's time to get up. No point in trying to argue with a couple of 75 - 80 pound Airedales. :)

HermitJim said...

Hey Bob...
I can see that there would be no point in trying to argue with dogs that size! Think they would probably always win!

You have a great day, and thanks for coming by today!

Marjie said...

I've been pretty pissed off for the last 2 weeks about the lack of time change, since it's been pitch dark when my 14 year old was leaving for his first year of high school at 7:20AM. It really needs to change back a few weeks earlier for those poeple in the northern part of this country whose kids go out to catch busses before 7:30AM. Time to get off my soapbox again. I'm bringing the coffee cake to go with your coffee!

HermitJim said...

Hey Marjie...
I think it's a legitimate concern for parents of school kids! After all, it just doesn't seem safe to have them out there in the dark with all the predators around now days!

Soap boxes are allowed all the time at the Hermit's house!

Thanks for coming by today!