Confused Clocks
I was surprised Sunday when my Palm gave me the message it had changed from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time. I momentarily wondered if we should have set our clocks back, then realized we'd been on time to church so the clocks must have been fine...Then I remembered that Congress pushed back the end of Daylight Saving Time for another week. These sorts of technological hassles were predicted back in 2005 when Congress passed the legislation. I could have hunted down a "patch" for the Palm to prevent this problem, but it seemed like more hassle than it was worth.
Which is how I feel, in general, about turning the clocks forward and backward twice a year.
One of the things I haven't understood is some articles say that the later time change will make a safer Halloween because children will trick or treat while it's still daylight. I don't know about you, but in our neighborhood the children wait till it's dark to start going door to door. Which simply means a delay in the children going out -- on a school night -- rather than a "safer" Halloween.
As mentioned here before, we'll now be on "Standard" Time just a little over four months -- so how is it that that is "standard"? :)
posted by Laura @ 11:45 PM
6 Comments:
I forgot to turn off DST on my VCR and so the Sunday Morning Show that I record each week was not going when I got up because the clock read 5:15!
I so agree about the "safer" Halloween statement.
Irene - but it *IS* still DST so why would you have had to turn it off?? It happens *next* week.
Laura - it is really still light where you are, at 6-7 o'clock??? It's pitch black here already by 5:30 or so. Very sad. I hate this plunge into darkness and evidently should move where it stays light later.
Have a fun time today. What are you dressing as??
As I noted on my blog, I had two clocks that re-set themselves last weekend, including a GPS device, which made me laugh.
I hate to disagree with you Laura, but I have to say from here in the Chicago area, it's normally dark by 5:00-5:30 this time of year. And once the sun sets the temperature drops very fast. I remember as a kid complaining with friends that the time changed right before Halloween. It's 5:30 here right now and it isn't dark yet and I've had more trick or treaters than usual AND I'm actually seeing costumes instead of overcoats! Plus, the furnace isn't running even though I keep opening the door. So no complaints here.
By the way, how is Chance liking Trick or Treat?
Missy http://missyisms.typepad.com
It doesn't get dark till later here, after 6:00 right now. Probably because we're further south than NY and IL?
I think I can honestly say I've never, ever had a trick or treater before dark, so it's very interesting you're getting them, Missy!
Maybe the answer is to stay on Daylight Saving Time all year long and then it will be warmer for you folks in chillier climes on Halloween (grin)...I don't care what time we're on as long as they quit making us go back and forth, LOL!
Happy Halloween,
Laura
Laura, I would love not changing the time! I remember suggesting that to my accountant a few years ago and he said we change back to "standard" time so school children won't be waiting in the dark for their buses. (Yes, my CPA and I get off topic a lot.) He's right about kids waiting for buses in the dark here; it would be dangerous. But I'm sure that's not the only reason. We're so close to the eastern edge of the time zone it's annoying! (It's 6:20 and dark here now. Sigh.)
Missy http://missyisms.typepad.com
A postscript, it went tonight as I expected: whereas children used to trick or treat from roughly 6:00 to 8:00 here in our So. CA neighborhood, this year trick or treating in our neighborhood didn't get underway till 7:00 p.m., with the last trick or treaters just before 9:00 p.m. There was a definite time shift to later (dark) hours here...
Best wishes,
Laura
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